Carbon dioxide capture system and method with mass transfer contactor

ABSTRACT

A carbon dioxide capture system, fluid contactor and method are disclosed. In embodiments, a gas-liquid contactor unit is disposed along a process fluid flow axis and includes a contactor network of flow diversion barriers with flow voids for movement of process fluids therebetween. A plurality of heat exchange channels are provided in the flow diversion barriers to transport a heat exchange fluid through the contactor network. A heat exchange feed channel is provided to deliver feed of the heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange channels at multiple feed locations spaced along the flow axis. At least one heat exchange bypass channel may extend beyond the multiple feed locations to deliver a portion of the feed of the heat exchange fluid to additional heat exchange channels located downstream from the multiple feed locations for the heat exchange channels.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/447,798 entitled “CARBON DIOXIDE CAPTURE SYSTEM,FLUID CONTACTOR AND METHOD” filed Jan. 18, 2017 as well as U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/462,230 entitled “CARBON DIOXIDECAPTURE SYSTEM, FLUID CONTRACTOR AND METHOD” filed Feb. 22, 2017, whichapplications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

STATEMENT ON FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was made with government support under award no.DE-SC0012056 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The governmenthas certain rights in the invention.

BACKGROUND

Carbon dioxide scrubbing with amine-based scrubbing solutions has beenused widely for removing carbon dioxide from natural gas and petroleumgas streams as part of gas sweetening operations. These scrubbingoperations tend to be at high pressure. More recently, amine-basedscrubbing systems have been used for removing carbon dioxide from powerplant and industrial flue gas streams in lower-pressure systems, such asfor carbon dioxide capture for sequestration. The scrubbing solutionsmay contain one or more amine compounds active for carbon dioxidecapture in solution and are often prepared as aqueous solutions with theamine compounds dissolved in water, although a variety of non-aqueousamine-based scrubbing solutions have also been described for use inamine-based scrubbing of carbon dioxide. In addition to one or moreamine compounds active for carbon dioxide capture, such scrubbingsolutions may optionally include other components (typically alsodissolved in water in aqueous scrubbing solutions), for example one ormore promoters to promote more rapid absorption of carbon dioxide intothe scrubbing solution (carbon dioxide absorption kinetics), to promotemore rapid transfer of carbon dioxide within scrubbing solution to theamine compound for capture and/or to promote increased solubility ofcarbon dioxide in the scrubbing solution.

A common carbon dioxide capture system includes an exothermic scrubbingoperation in which the scrubbing solution is contacted with a carbondioxide-containing gas mixture (e.g., natural gas for gas sweetening orflue gas for carbon dioxide sequestration) to remove carbon dioxide fromthe gas mixture. Resulting rich scrubbing solution loaded with capturedcarbon dioxide is then processed through an endothermic regenerationoperation in which carbon dioxide is removed from the scrubbing solutionto regenerate a lean scrubbing solution for further use for carbondioxide capture in the scrubbing operation. Regeneration involvessubjecting the scrubbing solution to conditions (e.g., temperature andpressure) different than conditions during the scrubbing operation atwhich the scrubbing solution has a reduced capacity for carbon dioxideloading. Maximum temperatures to which the scrubbing solution issubjected during the regeneration operation tend to be higher thanmaximum temperatures in the scrubbing operation. To improve overallthermal efficiency, heat may be exchanged between hot lean scrubbingsolution from the regeneration operation and the cooler rich scrubbingsolution from the scrubbing operation to preheat the rich scrubbingsolution prior to introduction into the regeneration operation and toprecool the lean scrubbing solution prior to introduction into thescrubbing operation.

Carbon dioxide scrubbing is often performed in a vertically-orientedprocessing vessel, or column, with gas feed introduced into a lowerportion of the vessel and with liquid scrubbing solution feed introducedinto an upper portion of the vessel, to provide a counter-currentprocessing operation in which gas moves upward through the vessel andabsorption liquid moves downward through the vessel. Treated gas withreduced carbon dioxide concentration may be removed from a top portionof the vessel and rich absorption liquid loaded with captured carbondioxide may be removed from a bottom portion of the vessel. Masstransfer contactor packing is typically disposed in the vessel betweenthe gas and liquid feed inlets to enhance intermixing and contactbetween the gas and liquid phases moving through the vessel and topromote transfer of carbon dioxide from the gas phase into the liquidphase of the absorption liquid to be captured within the absorptionliquid. Such mass transfer contactor packing may, for example, be in theform of structured and/or random packing.

One important variable for control of the scrubbing operation is the L/Gratio, which is a ratio of the quantity of liquid scrubbing solutionfeed to the absorption vessel to the quantity of carbon-dioxide gas feedto absorption vessel. Operating at a low L/G ratio may be desirable toachieve a high loading of captured carbon dioxide in the scrubbingsolution, but is balanced against thermal considerations. The scrubbingsolution provides a heat sink for heat generated during the scrubbingoperation, and operating at a very low L/G ratio may result in higherthan desired temperatures in the scrubbing vessel. Accordingly, the L/Gratio tends to be an important control variable in relation to vesseltemperature. Another technique for controlling temperature in thescrubbing vessel is to provide for interstage cooling of liquidscrubbing solution. For example, a portion of the process fluid may beremoved from the absorption vessel at an intermediate height locationsuch as between stages of packing, subjected to external cooling andthen the cooled fluid may be returned to the absorption vessel.

Amine-based scrubbing operations are complex systems, and many of thebasic systems and operational practices for carbon dioxide scrubbingwere developed within the context of gas sweetening, and were thenadapted with modification for use in scrubbing flue gas streams.Although gas sweetening and flue gas scrubbing using amine-basedscrubbing solutions are similar processes in many respects, there aresignificant differences. One difference is that scrubbing carbon dioxidefor gas sweetening tends to be a high-pressure operation in which thescrubbing solution acts mostly as a physical absorption medium, whereasflue gas scrubbing tends to be conducted at much lower pressures atwhich the scrubbing solution acts more as a chemical absorption medium.Another difference is that gas feeds for gas sweeting and flue gasscrubbing tend to be very different types of gas compositions, andtherefore present different reactive environments. As a result of thesedifferences, current carbon dioxide capture systems and methods designedfor use primarily for gas sweetening applications may not be readilyadapted for efficient use with flue gas scrubbing applications, and viceversa, even though each may use an amine-based scrubbing solution. Therecontinues to be a significant need for improved amine-based carbondioxide capture system and method designs that are better adapted to therequirements of flue gas scrubbing applications and that are moreflexible in being better adaptable for different feed gas compositionsand for use in both gas sweetening and flue gas scrubbing applications.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure includes an embodiment of a carbon dioxidecapture system for capturing carbon dioxide from a carbondioxide-containing gas mixture involving contact of the gas mixture withan amine-based scrubbing solution, the system comprising a packedscrubbing vessel that includes a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a liquid inletand a liquid outlet. More particularly, the gas inlet may be provided toreceive a feed stream of the gas mixture to the scrubbing vessel withcarbon dioxide for removal in an internal volume of the scrubbingvessel, and the gas outlet may be provided to output a treated stream ofthe gas mixture from the internal volume of the scrubbing vessel havinga lower carbon dioxide concentration than the feed stream of the gasmixture to the scrubbing unit. Further, the liquid inlet may be providedto receive a feed stream of the scrubbing solution for processing in theinternal volume of the scrubbing vessel to contact the gas mixture toremove carbon dioxide from the gas mixture for capture in the scrubbingsolution, and the liquid outlet may be provided to output an effluentstream of rich scrubbing solution from the internal volume of thescrubbing vessel, the rich scrubbing solution having captured carbondioxide removed from the gas mixture.

The scrubbing vessel may be provided to have a flow axis extending in adirection along the scrubbing vessel from a location corresponding withthe gas inlet to a distant location corresponding with the gas outlet.The scrubbing vessel may further include a gas-liquid contactor unitdisposed along the flow axis between the gas inlet and the gas outletand between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet. The contactor unitmay include a contactor network of flow diversion barriers with flowvoids for movement of process fluids including the gas mixture and thescrubbing solution between the flow diversion barriers.

The contactor unit, also referred to herein as a fluid mass transfercontactor unit, may comprise a plurality of heat exchange channels inthe flow diversion barriers to transport heat exchange cooling fluidthrough the contactor network to cool the process fluids moving throughthe flow voids during a carbon dioxide scrubbing operation, and at leastone heat exchange feed channel to deliver feed of the heat exchangecooling fluid to the heat exchange channels. In that regard, the heatexchange feed channel may extend in a direction of the flow axis and maybe fluidly connected with the plurality of heat exchange channels atmultiple feed locations spaced along the flow axis to input the feed ofthe heat exchange cooling fluid into multiple different locations in thecontactor network along the flow axis. As may be appreciated, theprovision of at least one heat exchange feed channel that connects witha plurality of heat exchange channels at multiple feed locations spacedalong the flow axis advantageously facilitates the cooling heat exchangewith the process fluids along the flow axis.

The description of the carbon dioxide capture system is presented hereinprimarily in the context of cooling, as amine-based scrubbing of carbondioxide tends to be exothermic and the heat exchange fluid may be a heatexchange cooling fluid to cool the process fluids to remove heatgenerated by the exothermic process. The gas-liquid contactor may beused, however, for heating applications as well. A heat exchange heatingfluid may be used for example during start-up operations to warm aprocess vessel to an elevated temperature to commence carbon dioxidecapture. Other than the different context of heating rather thancooling, description herein in relation to cooling applications appliesequally to heating applications as well.

In some embodiments, the contactor unit may further comprise at leastone heat exchange collection channel to collect effluent of the heatexchange cooling fluid from the plurality of heat exchange channels.Further, the heat exchange collection channel may be provided to extendin a direction of the flow axis and may be fluidly connected with theplurality of heat exchange channels at multiple collection locationsspaced along the flow axis to receive effluent of the heat exchangecooling fluid from multiple different locations in the contactor networkalong the flow axis.

In some arrangements, the multiple feed locations may be first feedlocations of a first said heat exchange feed channel and may be locatedin a first portion of the network disposed along a first longitudinalportion of the flow axis to input a first feed of the heat exchangefluid into the first portion of the network. In some embodiments, thecontactor unit may comprise at least one heat exchange bypass channelextending in a heat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axispast the first longitudinal portion of the flow axis to provide a secondfeed of the heat exchange fluid to heat exchange channels located in asecond portion of the contactor network located along a secondlongitudinal portion of the flow axis downstream of the firstlongitudinal portion. In other embodiments, the first heat exchange feedchannel may be provided to provide a second feed of the heat exchangefluid to heat exchange channels located in a second portion of thecontactor network located along a second longitudinal portion of theflow axis downstream of the first longitudinal portion of the flow axis.

In some implementations, at least a portion of the heat exchangechannels having corresponding first feed locations in the first portionof the contactor network may be fluidly cross-connected downstream ofthe corresponding first feed locations. As may be appreciated, suchcross-connections may provide for enhanced distributed flow of the firstfeed of the heat exchange fluid within the first portion of thecontactor network.

In contemplated embodiments that include at least one heat exchangebypass channel, the contactor unit may further comprise a second saidheat exchange feed channel to deliver the second feed of the heatexchange fluid from a first portion of the heat exchange bypass channelto the heat exchange channels in the second portion of the contactornetwork. In that regard, the second heat exchange feed channel mayextend in a direction of the flow axis and may be fluidly interconnectedwith the heat exchange channels in the second portion of the contactornetwork at multiple second feed locations spaced along the flow axis toinput the second feed of the heat exchange fluid from the first portionof the heat exchange bypass channel into multiple different locations inthe second portion of the contactor network along the flow axis. In someimplementations, at least a portion of the heat exchange channels havingcorresponding second feed locations located in the second portion of thecontactor network may be fluidly cross-connected downstream of thecorresponding second feed locations, thereby providing enhanceddistributed flow of the second feed of the heat exchange fluid withinthe second portion of the contactor network. In contemplatedarrangements, the heat exchange channels having corresponding first feedlocations in the first portion of the contactor network and the heatexchange channels having corresponding second feed locations in thesecond portion of the contactor network may be provided so they are notfluidly cross-connected in the contactor network, thereby facilitatingthe provision of “fresh” feed of the heat exchange fluid into both thefirst and second portions of the contactor network. References herein toheat exchange channels not being fluidly cross-connected within thecontactor network are to an absence of direct fluid connection betweenthe heat exchange channels between corresponding feed locations andcorresponding collection locations for the heat exchange channels. Inthat sense, the heat exchange channels that are not fluidlycross-connected in the contactor network are part of different heatexchange flow paths through the contactor network. Different portions ofthe contactor network, such as in different longitudinal portions of thecontactor network (which may be provided in different contact modules)may be in the absence of such fluid cross connection between the heatexchange channels in those different portions so that the differentportions may provide separate heat exchange flow paths that may deliversuch “fresh” feed of the heat exchange fluid to different longitudinalportions of the contactor network along the flow axis.

In some implementations, the multiple collection locations may be firstcollection locations of a first effluent of the heat exchange coolingfluid received from multiple different locations in the first portion ofthe contactor network into a first portion of the heat exchangecollection channel. In conjunction with such implementations, a secondportion of the heat exchange collection channel may be locateddownstream in the heat exchange cooling fluid direction along the flowaxis from the first portion of the heat exchange collection channel. Thesecond portion of the heat exchange collection channel may be fluidlyinterconnected with heat exchange channels having corresponding secondfeed locations in the second portion of the contactor network atmultiple second locations spaced along the flow axis to receive a secondeffluent of the heat exchange cooling fluid from multiple differentlocations in the second portion of the contactor network along the flowaxis.

In some arrangements, the contactor unit may include at least one inputmanifold to supply the feed of heat exchange fluid to the at least oneheat exchange feed channel, and to the at least one heat exchange bypasschannel if so provided. Further, the contactor unit may include at leastone output manifold to receive effluent of the heat exchange fluid fromthe at least one heat exchange collection channel for removal from thecontactor unit. In contemplated embodiments, the at least one inputmanifold and the at least one output manifold may be configured tofacilitate the flow of process fluids through the flow voids of thecontactor network. In one approach, the at least one input manifold andat least one output manifold may be located at opposing ends of at leasta portion of the contactor unit, and may each be configured to extend atleast partially about corresponding open areas through which processfluids may flow. For example, the at least one input manifold and/or theat least one output manifold may be of a ring-like, or annular,configuration. In some implementations, a plurality of different pairsof input manifolds and output manifolds may be provided to supply andremove heat exchange fluid to/from corresponding different portions ofthe contactor unit along the flow axis thereof.

In some embodiments, the contactor unit may be of a modularconfiguration. For example, the first heat exchange feed channel, thefirst portion of the contactor network, the first feed locations, andthe first portion of the heat exchange collection channel may beprovided in a first contact module of the contactor unit, and the secondheat exchange feed channel, the second portion of the contactor network,the second feed locations, and the second portion of the heat exchangecollection channel may be provided in a second contact module of thecontactor unit. In turn, the first contact module and second contactmodule may be fluidly interconnectable and disconnectable throughinterfacing ends thereof to obtain the desired delivery of the feed ofthe heat exchange fluid and collection of effluent of the heat exchangefluid in the contactor unit. In some arrangements, the first contactmodule may be provided so as to further include the first portion of theheat exchange bypass channel. The different modules may representdifferent longitudinal portions of the contactor unit along the flowaxis and the different features presented in such different longitudinalportions of the contactor unit. In alternative contemplatedimplementations, features associated with a module may be combined in alarger unitary structure (e.g., larger module structure or non-modularstructure) and provided in corresponding different longitudinal portionsof the contactor unit provided in the larger unitary structure.

In contemplated implementations, the interfacing ends of the firstcontact module and second contact module may be adapted to, or thecontactor unit may further comprise at least one intermediate flowcontrol member interposed between the interfacing ends of the first andsecond contact modules and configured to:

-   -   permit or block the flow of the second feed of the heat exchange        fluid from the first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel        to the second said heat exchange feed channel; and,    -   permit the flow of the first effluent from the first portion of        the heat exchange collection channel to the second portion of        the heat exchange collection channel. As may be appreciated, the        adaptation of interfacing ends of the first and second contact        modules to permit and/or block heat exchange fluid flow, or the        configuration of a first said intermediate flow control member        interposed therebetween to permit and/or block heat exchange        fluid flow, facilitates customization of the contactor unit        (e.g. customization to realize the same and/or differing amounts        of heat exchange capacity along different portions of the        contactor network in different contact modules).

In some embodiments, the contactor unit may include a third said heatexchange feed channel to deliver a third feed of the heat exchange fluidfrom a second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel to the heatexchange channels in a third portion of the contactor network locatedalong a third longitudinal portion of the flow axis downstream of thesecond longitudinal portion of the flow axis relative to the heatexchange fluid flow direction. The third said heat exchange feed channelmay extend in a direction of the flow axis and may be fluidlyinterconnected with the heat exchange channels in the third portion ofthe contactor network at multiple third feed locations spaced along theflow axis to input the third feed of the heat exchange fluid from thesecond portion of the heat exchange bypass channel into multipledifferent locations in the third portion of the contact network alongthe flow axis. In such arrangements, the second portion of the heatexchange bypass channel may be provided in the second contact module. Inturn, the interfacing ends of the first contact module and secondcontact module may be further adapted to, or a first said intermediateflow control member may be configured to:

-   -   permit or block the flow of the third feed of the heat exchange        fluid from the first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel        to the second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel.

In some arrangements, the first portion of the heat exchange bypasschannel may include an inlet port to receive the second feed of the heatexchange fluid, a first outlet port to deliver the second feed of theheat exchange fluid to an inlet port of the second said heat exchangefeed channel, and a second outlet port to deliver the third feed of theheat exchange fluid to an inlet port of the second portion of the heatexchange bypass channel. Further, the first portion of the heat exchangecollection channel may include an outlet port to deliver the firsteffluent to an inlet port of the second portion of the heat exchangecollection channel.

In conjunction with such embodiments, the first outlet port of the firstportion of the heat exchange bypass channel, the second outlet port ofthe first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel, and the outletport of the first portion of the heat exchange collection channel mayeach be located at an outlet interfacing end of the first contactmodule. In turn, the inlet port of the second portion of the heatexchange bypass channel, the inlet port of the second said heat exchangefeed channel, and the inlet port of the second portion of the heatexchange collection channel may each be located at an inlet interfacingend of the second contact module.

To facilitate placement and retention of the first contact module andsecond contact module in a predetermined orientation (e.g. apredetermined orientation in which corresponding inlet and outlet portsare aligned for desired heat exchange fluid flow), one of the outletinterfacing end of the first contact module and the inlet interfacingend of the second contact module may comprise a plurality of malemembers and the other may comprise a complementary plurality of femalemembers for receiving the plurality of male members. In one approach,the male members may comprise tapered projections and the female membersmay comprise tapered recesses sized to receive in the male members. Forexample, when the first contact module and second contact module arepositioned in stacked relation to one another, the plurality of malemembers may be provided at the inlet interfacing end of the secondcontact module for positioning downward and into the complementaryplurality of female members provided at the outlet interfacing end ofthe first contact module.

In one approach for fluidly interconnecting the first contact module andsecond contact module, the plurality of male members and thecomplementary plurality of female members may be configured to:

-   -   permit or block the flow of the second feed of the heat exchange        fluid therethrough from the first outlet port of the first        portion of the heat exchange bypass channel to the inlet port of        said second said heat exchange feed channel;    -   permit or block the flow of the third feed of the heat exchange        fluid therethrough from the second outlet port of the first        portion of the heat exchange bypass portion to the inlet port of        the second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel; and,    -   permit the flow of the first effluent therethrough from the        outlet port of the first portion of the heat exchange collection        channel to the inlet port of the second portion of the heat        exchange collection channel.        As may be appreciated, such approach facilitates placement and        retained positioning of the first and second contact modules in        a predetermined orientation, as well as desired fluid        interconnections therebetween. Further, in such arrangements,        the male and complementary, female members may be configured        (e.g. tapered) to yield a compression-fit fluid seal        therebetween.

In another approach for fluidly interconnecting the first contact moduleand second contact module, a first contactor unit may include a firstintermediate flow control member as noted above, wherein the firstintermediate flow control member may be configured to permit and/orblock the flow of heat exchange fluid between ports of the outletinterfacing end of the first contact module and ports of the inletinterfacing end of the second contact module. More particularly, thefirst said intermediate flow control member may be configured to:

-   -   permit or block the flow of the second feed of the heat exchange        fluid therethrough from the first outlet port of the first        portion of the heat exchange bypass channel to the inlet port of        said second said heat exchange feed channel;    -   permit or block the flow of the third feed of the heat exchange        fluid therethrough from the second outlet port of the first        portion of the heat exchange bypass portion to the inlet port of        the second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel; and,    -   permit the flow of the first effluent therethrough from the        outlet port of the first portion of the heat exchange collection        channel to the inlet port of the second portion of the heat        exchange collection channel.

In conjunction with such approach, a plurality of male members and/or aplurality of complementary female members may be provided at interfacingends of the first intermediate flow control member and first and secondcontact members, thereby facilitating placement and retention of thefirst intermediate flow control member and first and second contactmodules in predetermined desired orientations, as well as predetermineddesired heat exchange fluid flow therebetween.

In conjunction with further embodiments, the third heat exchange feedchannel, the third portion of the contactor network, the third feedlocations, and the third portion of the heat exchange collection channel(e.g. to collect effluent of the third feed of the heat exchange fluid)may be provided in a third contact module of the contactor unit. Inturn, the second contact module and third contact module may be fluidlyinterconnectable through interfacing ends thereof to obtain the desireddelivery of the feed of the heat exchange fluid and collection ofeffluent of the heat exchange fluid in the contactor unit.

In contemplated implementations, the interfacing ends of the secondcontact module and third contact module may be adapted to, or thecontactor unit may further comprise a second intermediate flow controlmember interposed between the interfacing ends of the second and thirdcontact modules and configured to:

-   -   permit or block the flow of the third feed of the heat exchange        fluid from the second portion of the heat exchange bypass        channel to the third said heat exchange feed channel; and,    -   permit the flow of the second effluent from the second portion        of the heat exchange collection channel to the third portion of        the heat exchange collection channel.

As may be appreciated, the adaptation of interfacing ends of the secondand third contact modules to permit and/or to block heat exchange fluidflow, or the configuration of a second said intermediate flow controlmember interposed to permit and/or block heat exchange fluid flow,further facilitates customization of the contactor unit (e.g.customization to realize the same and/or differing amounts of heatexchange capacity along different portions of the contactor network indifferent contact modules). As may be appreciated, the contactor unit ina modular configuration may include more than three modules, eachincluding a different position of the contactor network.

In some embodiments, a contactor unit may be provided wherein the atleast one heat exchange feed channel is located in an outer region ofthe contactor unit, and the plurality of heat exchange channels arelocated in an inner region of the contactor unit. In some arrangements,the outer region may extend about and along the inner region.Additionally, the at least one heat exchange channel and/or the at leastheat exchange bypass channel may be located in the outer region. In somearrangements, the at least one heat exchange feed channel may extendabout and along at least a portion of the inner region of the contactorunit (e.g. the at least one heat exchange feed channel may spiral aboutand along at least a portion of the inner region), thereby facilitatingthe delivery of the heat exchange fluid at multiple feed locationsradially offset about and longitudinally offset along the inner region.Further, the at least one heat exchange collection channel may beprovided to extend about and along at least a portion of the innerregion, (e.g. the at least one heat exchange collection channel mayspiral about and along at least a portion of the inner region), therebyfacilitating the collection of effluent of heat exchange fluid atmultiple collection locations radially offset and longitudinally offsetalong the inner region. Further, the at least one heat exchange bypasschannel may be configured to extend linearly or nearly linearly alongthe inner region within the outer region of the contactor unit.

Relatedly, in some embodiments, the output ports of an input manifold,the inlet and outlet ports of a first and/or multiple contact modules,and the outlet ports of an output manifold, may all be located in theouter region of the contactor unit. In that regard, the input manifoldand output manifold may be located within the outer region of thecontactor unit, thereby facilitating the flow of process fluids throughthe voids of the contactor network and opposing ends of the contactorunit.

The carbon dioxide capture system and associated carbon dioxide capturemethod of the present disclosure are particularly beneficial forapplications involving scrubbing carbon dioxide from combustion flue gasstreams and other similar industrial by-product streams. Unlike typicalgas feed streams for gas sweetening operations, flue gas feed for carbondioxide scrubbing tend to contain significant concentrations of oxygengas not consumed during the combustion operation. Gas feed for flue gasscrubbing applications may often be a dehumidified flue gas stream, inwhich the gas stream has been cooled following combustion to condenseprimarily water, and other condensable components, from the gas stream.As may be appreciated, even though most water from combustion has beencondensed out with temperature reduction of a flue gas stream to preparea dehumidified gas stream, such a dehumidified gas stream will stilltypically be saturated with water vapor, and may be saturated with watervapor as fed to a carbon dioxide scrubbing vessel. Such a dehumidifiedgas stream feed to the carbon dioxide scrubbing vessel may contain asignificant concentration of oxygen gas (O₂), for example at least 0.5volume percent, at least 2 volume percent, at least 4 volume percent oreven at least 6 volume percent, although such oxygen gas concentrationmay often be no larger than 18 volume percent, 14 volume percent, 10volume percent or even 8 volume percent. Flue gas feed to carbon dioxidescrubbing from combustion of coal tends to have a lower oxygen gasconcentration, often in a range of 3-8 volume percent (on a dry basis asfed to a scrubbing vessel), whereas flue gas feed to carbon dioxidescrubbing from combustion of natural gas tends to have a higher oxygengas concentration, often as high as 16-17 volume percent (also on a drybasis). The presence of the oxygen gas leads to oxidative degradation oforganic components of the amine-based scrubbing solution, including theactive amine compounds. The presence of oxygen gas in gas feed to anamine-based carbon dioxide scrubbing operation is a significant problemwith flue gas scrubbing operations in particular. Oxidative degradationproducts in the scrubbing vessel represent both a loss of scrubbingsolution and potential environmental emission control complications.Oxidative degradation reactions have faster kinetics at highertemperatures, and even relatively small excesses in the temperature orexcess temperature spikes of even relatively short duration during ascrubbing operation relative to what may be desired for efficient carbondioxide capture may have a significant detrimental impact on the rate atwhich such degradation products are generated. Combustion flue gas fromcombustion of natural gas tends to have a much higher concentration ofoxygen gas than flue gas from combustion of coal, for example inelectrical power generation operations. As such, problems associatedwith presence of oxygen gas in a feed stream to carbon dioxide scrubbingmay be particularly heightened for flue gas feed from combustion ofnatural gas or methane. These problems are generally not an issue withgas sweetening applications, for which feed gas streams tend to containno or minimal amounts of oxygen gas. With the carbon dioxide capturesystem and carbon dioxide capture method of the present disclosure, andin particular with incorporation of the mass transfer contactor unit,heat removal may be targeted to high gas-liquid mass transfer zoneswithin the scrubbing vessel where exothermic heat generation may be at amaximum, and where even a relatively brief spike in temperature maysignificantly detrimentally increase oxidative degradation of organiccomponents of the scrubbing solution. This may be particularlyadvantageous when operating at a low L/G ratio, where maximumtemperatures in the scrubbing vessel may otherwise tend to be higher andmay otherwise occur at a bulge in the temperature profile in a topportion of a vertically-oriented scrubbing vessel operated incounter-current flow adjacent to the introduction of lean scrubbingsolution. Positioning of the mass transfer contactor unit to provideactive heat exchange within the scrubbing vessel in areas of highestmass transfer rates, and highest exothermic heat generation, providessignificant flexibility to control temperature and temperature profilewithin the scrubbing vessel, and to avoid detrimental temperaturespikes. In that regard, the carbon dioxide capture system and method ofthis disclosure is particularly advantageous for use in low pressurecarbon dioxide scrubbing applications, such as is the case with flue gasscrubbing. Such a low pressure application may be operated with amaximum pressure in the scrubbing vessel, and the gas feed stream may beintroduced into the scrubbing vessel, at a pressure of no higher than 5bars, preferably no higher than 3 bars, and even more preferably nohigher than 2 bars. Flue gas scrubbing applications are often operatednear atmospheric pressure. Scrubbing in such low pressure applicationsis particularly prone to development of temperature spikes, ortemperature bulge profiles, which may be problematic, for example inrelation to oxidative degradation of scrubbing solution components. Incontrast, gas sweetening applications are often operated at vesselpressures of 30 bars or more, and may even be at a level of 100 bars ormore, tend to have no oxygen gas and tend to be operated at higher L/Gratios at which temperature spikes and bulges are generally not aproblem. However, even though the carbon dioxide capture system isdisclosed primarily as designed for and is particularly advantageous foruse in low pressure applications such as for flue gas scrubbingoperations, the design provides significant flexibility, and may be usedfor gas sweetening or other applications as well. The mass transfercontactor unit also permits more flexible adaptation to processing gassweetening feed streams having varying levels of carbon dioxide, withbetter adaptation to carbon dioxide absorption rates and heat generationwith different levels of carbon dioxide in feed gas streams.

Although the description provided herein may be primarily in referenceto an application aspect for use of the contactor unit, or module, insystems and methods for carbon dioxide capture using amine-basedscrubbing solutions, the contactor unit may be employed in otherapplications involving fluid treating systems and fluid treatmentmethods more generally, and for other particular applications. In thatregard, an aspect of the present disclosure provides a fluid treatingsystem, and method for fluid treatment, for mass transfer between fluidphases in process fluids in a process vessel including a fluid masstransfer contactor unit, whether or not for carbon dioxide capture. Invarious embodiments of a fluid treating system, the process vessel mayinclude:

a fluid inlet to receive a feed stream of a first process fluid to thevessel, the feed stream of the first process fluid including at least afirst fluid phase with material to be transferred to a second fluidphase in an internal volume of the vessel;

a fluid outlet to output a process effluent stream including the secondfluid phase having transferred material from the first process fluid;

a flow axis extending in a longitudinal direction along the vessel awayfrom a location corresponding with the fluid inlet;

a fluid mass transfer contactor unit disposed in the internal volumealong the flow axis to contact the process fluids moving through theinternal volume to facilitate mass transfer of the material from thefirst fluid phase to the second fluid phase, the contactor unitincluding a contactor network of flow diversion barriers with flow voidsfor movement of the process fluids between the flow diversion barriers,the contactor unit further comprising:

a plurality of heat exchange channels in the flow diversion barriers totransport heat exchange fluid through the contactor network to heat orcool the process fluids moving through the flow voids during a fluidtreating operation;

at least one heat exchange feed channel to deliver feed of the heatexchange fluid to the heat exchange channels, wherein the heat exchangefeed channel extends in a direction of the flow axis and is fluidlyconnected with the heat exchange channels at multiple feed locationsspaced along the flow axis to input the feed of the heat exchange fluidinto multiple different locations in the contactor network along theflow axis. The features and various embodiments summarized above inrelation to the contactor unit apply equally to applications other thancarbon dioxide capture from a gas mixture with an amine-based scrubbingsolution.

As may be appreciated, various applications may involve vessels ofvarious designs and may include vessels that extend longitudinally in avertical, horizontal or inclined orientation. The flow axis for eachsuch vessel may extend in the same longitudinal direction as thelongitudinal extension of the process vessel. For example the flow axismay extend vertically in a vertically-extending vessel, the flow axismay extend horizontally in a horizontally-extending vessel and mayextend at an inclination other than vertical in a vessel that extends atan inclination other than vertical. The flow axis may extend in adirection of process fluid movement through the process vessel. In acase of counter-current flow of different fluids through a processvessel, the direction of fluid movement through the process vessel maybe in opposite directions along the flow axis. In the descriptionprovided herein, processing is shown and described with each processfluid input stream being introduced into the process vessel only at asingle feed location along the flow axis and each process fluid outputstream being removed from the process vessel only at a single withdrawallocation along the flow axis. As may be appreciated, fluid treatingsystems and fluid treatment methods described herein may includemultiple fluid feed locations along a flow axis for introduction of aprocess fluid input into the process vessel and/or multiple fluidwithdrawal locations along a flow axis for removal of a process fluidoutput from the process vessel.

The contactor unit may have a longitudinally extending flow axis thataligns with the flow axis of the process vessel. The flow axis of thecontactor unit may extend in a direction of flow of process fluidsthrough the contactor network (direction of progression of processfluids through the flow voids of the contactor network) from a processfluid inlet side to a process fluid outlet side of the contactornetwork. As with the process vessel, in the case of counter-currentprocessing, an inlet side of a contactor network for one process fluidmay be an outlet side for another process fluid that is moving in anopposite direction along the flow axis.

The process fluids in the process vessel are the fluids to be treatedfor mass transfer between fluid phases in the process vessel, and thatmove through the flow voids between the flow diversion barriers of thecontactor unit to assist or promote such mass transfer. Flow of suchprocess fluids contacts an exterior of the flow diversion barriers,whereas the heat exchange channels that may carry heat exchange fluidare internal to the flow diversion barriers, and heat exchange throughthe wall of the flow diversion barriers between the process fluidsmoving through in the flow voids and heat exchange fluid flowing throughthe heat exchange channels may heat or cool the process fluids,depending on whether the heat exchange fluid is hotter or colder thanthe process fluids. The process fluids in the process vessel may involvetwo or more than two fluid phases, with material of at least one fluidphase (first fluid phase) being transferred to at least one other fluidphase (second fluid phase). The material being transferred may or maynot be present in the same form following mass transfer to the secondfluid phase as it had in the first fluid phase prior to or duringtransfer. For example, a component leaving a first fluid phase may beinvolved in a chemical reaction or series of chemical reactions duringor following mass transfer into the second material phase, and only aportion of an original component exiting the first fluid phase may bepresent or retained in the second fluid phase or may be present in adifferent form as a result of such a reaction or reactions. Also, masstransfer from a first fluid phase to a second fluid phase may involve anintermediate transfer through a third fluid phase and/or an intermediateretention on a catalytic or other surface intermediary, which surfacemay be provided for example at a surface of the flow diversion barriersexposed in the flow voids of the contactor network.

In some embodiments the first fluid phase may be fed to the processvessel in a feed stream, which may be a single phase stream or amulti-phase stream. In other embodiments, the first fluid phase may formin the process vessel during processing. Similarly, the second fluidphase may be fed to the process vessel in a feed stream, which may besingle phase stream or a multi-phase stream, while in other embodimentsthe second phase may be formed in the process vessel. This may be thecase for example in the case of regeneration processing to regeneratecarbon dioxide scrubbing solution, where the second fluid phase may be acarbon dioxide gas formed in the process vessel from carbon dioxidereleased in the process vessel from rich scrubbing solution.

One example application for such a fluid treating system is for aregeneration operation to regenerate lean amine-based scrubbing solutionfor carbon dioxide capture. Incorporating the mass transfer contactorunit in the regeneration vessel permits thermal input to drive offcarbon dioxide to be more specifically targeted to reduce the likelihoodof generating a higher temperature than desired within the regenerationvessel. This may be a more significant issue for flue gas scrubbingoperations than gas sweetening operations, because the higher pressuresduring carbon dioxide scrubbing permit the use of a significant pressuredrop in pressure to contribute to driving force for liberation of carbondioxide from the scrubbing solution during regeneration. Thus,regeneration processing for gas sweetening applications may be conductedwith lower temperatures than might be used during regeneration for fluegas treatment operations, and the need for targeted control oftemperature and temperature profile within the regeneration vessel forflue gas scrubbing applications is of heightened concern.

Numerous additional features and advantages of the present disclosurewill become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration ofthe embodiment descriptions provided hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a carbon dioxide capture system forcapturing carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide-containing gas mixture.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a contactor unit employable in thesystem embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a contactor unit comprising aplurality of interconnectable contact modules.

FIG. 4 illustrates the contactor unit embodiment of FIG. 3 together withtemperature profiles reflecting temperature adjustment of process fluidsby the contactor unit embodiment.

FIG. 5A illustrates a first end section of a contact module comprisingthe contactor unit of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5B illustrates a second end portion of the contact modulecomprising the contactor unit embodiment of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6A illustrates an embodiment of an input manifold employable in thecontactor unit embodiment of FIG. 2 and/or the contactor unit embodimentof FIG. 3.

FIG. 6B illustrates an embodiment of an output manifold employable inthe contactor unit embodiment of FIG. 2 and/or the contactor unitembodiment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of a contactor unit comprising aplurality of interconnectable contact modules.

FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of a contactor unit comprising aplurality of contact modules fluidly interconnectable through one ormore intermediate flow control members.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are schematic end and side views, respectively, of oneor more of the contactor units illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 7 and/or 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 generally illustrates some features of an example carbon dioxidecapture system 10 including a scrubbing operation in which a carbondioxide-containing gas mixture is contacted with lean amine-basedscrubbing solution to remove carbon dioxide from the gas mixture andincluding a regeneration operation in which carbon dioxide is releasedfrom rich scrubbing solution to regenerate lean scrubbing solution thatmay be used for further carbon dioxide capture in the scrubbingoperation.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example scrubbing operation performed in a packedscrubbing vessel 12, illustrated in the form of a packed column, havingan internal volume in which a carbon dioxide-containing gas mixture iscontacted with an amine-based scrubbing solution to remove carbondioxide from the gas mixture for capture in the scrubbing solution. Asshown in the example of FIG. 1, a carbon dioxide-containing gas feedstream 14 is introduced into the interior volume of the scrubbing vessel12 through a gas inlet 16 and a treated gas stream 18 with reducedcarbon dioxide content is removed from of the interior volume of thescrubbing vessel 12 through a gas outlet 20. A scrubbing solution feedstream 22 with lean scrubbing solution is introduced into the interiorvolume of the scrubbing vessel 12 through a liquid inlet 24 and ascrubbing solution effluent stream 26 with rich scrubbing solutioncontaining captured carbon dioxide is removed from the interior of thescrubbing vessel 12 through a liquid outlet 28.

FIG. 1 shows a flow axis AA for the column extending in a direction offlow through the scrubbing vessel 12 between the fluid inlets andoutlets. In the example shown in FIG. 1, contacting between the gasmixture being treated and the scrubbing solution is in a counter-currentflow arrangement, with the gas mixture having an upward flow directionthrough the scrubbing vessel 12 along the flow axis AA from the gasinlet 14 toward the gas outlet 18 and with the scrubbing solution havinga downward flow direction through the scrubbing vessel 12 along the flowaxis AA from the liquid inlet 22 toward the liquid outlet 26.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example regeneration operation performed in aregeneration vessel 32 shown in the form of a stripping vessel, such asa stripping column. Regenerator feed 34 including rich scrubbingsolution from the scrubbing solution effluent 26 is introduced into theregeneration vessel 32 through a feed inlet 36 after being preheated ina heat exchanger 38. In the regeneration vessel 32 carbon dioxide isreleased from the scrubbing solution and a purified carbon dioxide gasstream 40 made up predominantly of carbon dioxide is removed from theregeneration vessel 32 through a gas outlet 42. Lean scrubbing solution44 with reduced carbon dioxide content is removed from the regenerationvessel 32 through an outlet 46 and after being cooled in the heatexchanger 38 is recycled for use to prepare the scrubbing solution feed22 to the scrubbing vessel 12. As shown in FIG. 1, a portion of the leanscrubbing solution 44 may be removed from the system in a bleed stream48 as needed, and additional fresh scrubbing solution 50 may be added asneeded. Other or alternative bleed and make-up streams may be includedas convenient.

The scrubbing vessel 12 is typically operated at a lower temperaturethan the regeneration vessel 32. Temperatures in the scrubbing vessel 12for example may often be in a range of from about 25° C. to 70° C. andtemperatures in the regeneration vessel 12 may for example often reach100° C. or higher. Supplemental heating and/or cooling may be providedat various points in the system as needed or desired. In the example ofFIG. 1, supplemental heat is supplied to the regeneration vessel 32 by areboiler 52 that heats and returns to the regeneration vessel 32 atleast a portion of column bottoms. The heat exchanger 38 is used toimprove thermal efficiency by recovering heat from the regenerationvessel to preheat rich scrubbing solution for feed to the regenerationvessel and to correspondingly pre-cool lean scrubbing solution for feedto the scrubbing vessel 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the scrubbing vessel 12 and the regeneration vessel32 each includes a fluid contactor unit 100 (identified as 100 a and 100b, respectively) to promote effective contact between different fluidphases for enhanced mass transfer between the different fluid phases.Turning first to the scrubbing vessel 12, the scrubbing vessel 12includes the fluid contactor unit 100 a to promote gas-liquid contact inthe scrubbing vessel 12. The contactor unit 100 a is disposed in theflow path along the flow axis AA between the gas inlet 16 and the gasoutlet 20 and between the liquid inlet 24 and the liquid outlet 28. Thecontactor unit 100 a provides packing to enhance gas-liquid contact andmass transfer between the gas and liquid phases moving through thecontactor unit 100 a. The contactor unit 100 a includes an active heatexchange aspect in which heat exchange fluid may be passed through thecontactor unit to heat or cool process fluids (e.g., carbondioxide-containing gas mixture and scrubbing solution) moving throughthe contactor unit 100 a during a carbon dioxide scrubbing operation.FIG. 1 illustrates heat exchange fluid feed 56 from a heat exchangefluid source 60 being introduced into the scrubbing vessel 12 to feedthe contactor unit 100 a and heat exchange fluid effluent 58 from thecontactor unit 100 a being removed from the scrubbing vessel 12. Theheat exchange fluid may for example be any gas or liquid composition fora desired heat exchange condition, with liquid heat exchange fluids, andparticularly water, having higher heat capacities being beneficial foruse in many heat exchange situations. The heat exchange fluid source 60may include a pump or compressor to supply the heat exchange fluid feed56 at a desired pressure and feed rate to the contactor unit 100 a. Thecontactor unit 100 a may be used in a heating mode to heat processfluids passing through the contactor unit 100 a (in which case the heatexchange fluid effluent 58 will be cooler than heat exchange fluid feed56) or in a cooling mode to cool process fluids passing through thecontactor unit 100 a (in which case the heat exchange fluid effluent 58will be hotter than the heat exchange fluid feed 56).

Similarly, the regeneration vessel 32 includes the fluid contactor unit100 b to promote fluid contact in the regeneration vessel 32. Thecontactor unit 100 b is disposed in the flow path along the flow axis BBextending longitudinally through though the regeneration vessel 32, andextending away along the regeneration vessel away from the feed inlet36. The contactor unit 100 b provides packing to enhance fluid contactof process fluids moving through the regeneration vessel 32 to enhanceand mass transfer of carbon dioxide out of the liquid phase of thescrubbing solution and into a carbon dioxide gas phase as carbon dioxideis released from the rich scrubbing solution fed to the regenerationvessel 32. The contactor unit 100 b includes an active heat exchangeaspect in which heat exchange fluid may be passed through the contactorunit to heat or cool process fluids (e.g., scrubbing solution and carbondioxide gas phase) moving through the contactor unit 100 b during ascrubbing solvent regeneration operation. FIG. 1 illustrates heatexchange fluid feed 62 from a heat exchange fluid source 64 beingintroduced into the regeneration vessel 32 to feed the contactor unit100 b and heat exchange fluid effluent 66 from the contactor unit 100 bbeing removed from the regeneration vessel 32. The heat exchange fluidmay for example be any gas or liquid composition for a desired heatexchange condition, with liquid heat exchange fluids, and particularlywater, having higher heat capacities being beneficial for use in manyheat exchange situations. The heat exchange fluid source 64 may includea pump or compressor to supply the heat exchange fluid feed 62 at adesired pressure and feed rate to the contactor unit 100 b. Thecontactor unit 100 b may be used in a heating mode to heat processfluids passing through the contactor unit 100 b (in which case the heatexchange fluid effluent 66 will be cooler than heat exchange fluid feed62) or in a cooling mode to cool process fluids passing through thecontactor unit 100 b (in which case the heat exchange fluid effluent 66will be hotter than the heat exchange fluid feed 62).

Amine-based scrubbing of carbon dioxide is a known technique, and theamine-based scrubbing solution used in the processing of FIG. 1 may beany composition including amine compounds for carbon dioxide capture.The scrubbing solution may often be in the form of an aqueous liquid(water present at highest molar concentration) containing one or amixture of more than one dissolved amine compounds contributing tocarbon dioxide capture. Other carbon dioxide capture agents in additionto amine compounds may also be present in the scrubbing solution. Avariety of carbon capture mechanisms may be involved in the scrubbingsolution, including for example through formation of carbonates orcarbamates or through high solubility of carbon dioxide in the scrubbingsolution. A variety of non-aqueous amine-based scrubbing solutions havealso been described for use in amine-based scrubbing of carbon dioxide.A variety of amine compounds and formulations of amine compounds areknown for use in carbon dioxide capture formulations and additionalamine compounds continue to be identified for use. Some example aminecompounds that may be included in a scrubbing solution include primary,secondary and tertiary amines. Some specific example amine compoundsinclude monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, N-methylethanolamine,diisopropanolamine, aminoethoxyethanol (diglycolamine),2-amino-2-methylpropanol, benzylamine, methyl diethanolamine, asubstituted benzylamine and piperazine. In addition to one or more amineor other compounds active for carbon dioxide capture, such scrubbingsolutions may optionally include other components (typically alsodissolved in water in aqueous scrubbing solutions), for example topromote more rapid absorption of carbon dioxide (carbon dioxideabsorption kinetics) into the liquid phase and/or to increase solubilityof carbon dioxide in the liquid phase.

Capture of carbon dioxide into amine-based scrubbing solutions may be ahighly exothermic process, providing potential for generation of highertemperatures in the scrubbing vessel 12 than may be desired. In the caseof processing combustion flue gases, the gas feed stream may includesignificant quantities of oxygen gas, which may react with aminecomponents or other organic components in the scrubbing solution togenerate oxidation degradation products, which represent a loss ofscrubbing solution and potential environmental emission complications.Oxidation degradation reactions will have faster kinetics at highertemperatures, and even relatively small excesses in the temperature inthe scrubbing vessel 12 relative to what is desired for carbon dioxidescrubbing may have a significant detrimental impact on the rate at whichsuch degradation products are generated. Excessive temperatures in thescrubbing vessel 12 may also result in a higher level of thermaldegradation products. Occurrence of an undesirably high temperature in atop portion of the scrubbing vessel 12 near the gas outlet 20 mayincrease the presence of volatile emissions in the treated gas stream18.

In one implementation, as illustrated in FIG. 1, such a contactor unit100 a may be located in an upper portion of the scrubbing vessel 12 andoperated in a cooling mode to lower the temperature of the scrubbingsolution in the upper portion of the scrubbing vessel 12. When operatingthe scrubbing vessel 12 at a low liquid:gas ratio to efficiently usecarbon dioxide capture capacity of the scrubbing solution, there may bea susceptibility for significant exothermic heat generation with acorresponding temperature bulge (bulge in the temperature profile) inthe upper portion of the scrubbing vessel 12. In some preferredimplementations, such a contactor unit 100 a may be located to coolprocess fluids in a region of maximum exothermic heat generation in thescrubbing vessel 12.

In contrast to carbon dioxide scrubbing, regeneration of amine-basedscrubbing solution to release captured carbon dioxide is typically anendothermic process, and heat is typically provided to the processfluids to provide the heat for the endothermic process. Therefore, inthe regeneration processing in the regeneration vessel 32 of FIG. 1, thecontactor unit 100 b may often be operated in a heating mode with a feedof heat exchange heating fluid being provided to the contactor unit 100b in the heat exchange fluid feed 62. The heat exchange fluid feed 62may, for example, be in the form of steam that may condense in thecontactor unit 100 b and may be removed as condensed water in the heatexchange fluid effluent 66. In the illustration of FIG. 1, theregeneration vessel 32 is shown including only a single contactor unit100 b. However in alternative implementations the regeneration vessel 32may include multiple such contactor units 100 b with different ones ofsuch contactor units 100 b located at different locations along thefluid axis where heating or cooling is desired. In addition to such acontactor unit 100 b, other portions of the regeneration vessel 32 maycontain other types of packing, for example structured packing or randompacking not including an active heat exchange aspect.

In the illustration of FIG. 1, the scrubbing vessel 12 is shownincluding only a single contactor unit. However in alternativeimplementations the scrubbing vessel may include multiple such contactorunits 100 a with different ones of such contactor units 100 a located atdifferent locations along the fluid axis where heating or cooling isdesired. In addition to such a contactor unit 100 a, other portions ofthe scrubbing vessel 12 may contain other types of packing, for examplestructured packing or random packing not including an active heatexchange aspect.

FIG. 1 is of a general nature to illustrate some particular processingfeatures. FIG. 1 shows the carbon dioxide capture system 10 as includingonly a single scrubbing vessel 12 and only a single regeneration vessel32. In alternative implementations, the carbon dioxide capture system 10may include multiple carbon dioxide scrubbing vessels 12 and/or multipleregeneration vessels 32, which may for example be arranged for paralleloperation. Various implementations of the carbon capture system 10illustrated in FIG. 1 may include processing equipment/and or processingunit operations in addition to those illustrated in FIG. 1. For exampleadditional equipment or operations may be included upstream of thescrubbing vessel 12 to dry, pre-cool or otherwise prepare or condition agas mixture to provide the gas feed stream 14, may be included inconnection with operation of the scrubbing vessel 12, may be included inconnection with operation of the regeneration vessel 32, may be includedbetween the scrubbing vessel 12 and the regeneration vessel 32, may beincluded to further treat the treated gas stream 18, may be included tofurther treat the purified carbon dioxide gas stream 40 and/or may beincluded to provide the heat exchange fluid feed 56 or the heat exchangefluid feed 62 or to further process or treat the heat exchange fluideffluent 58 or the heat exchange fluid effluent 66. In some alternativeexamples, the scrubbing vessel 12 may include multiple feeds of carbondioxide containing gas mixture for scrubbing in the scrubbing vessel 12,for example with different gas feed streams 14 introduced at differentelevations in the scrubbing vessel.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which illustrates an embodiment ofcontactor unit 100. Contactor unit 100 may include at least a firstcontact module 110, an input manifold 140 for providing a feed of heatexchange fluid to the contact module 110 (e.g. a heat exchange coolingor heating fluid), and an output manifold 150 for receiving the heatexchange fluid from the first contact module 110. As will be furtherdescribed, the first contact module 110, and optional additional fluidlyinterconnectable contact modules, may be disposed along a flow axis AAthat extends in direction along the scrubbing vessel described above inrelation to FIG. 1, e.g. from a location corresponding with the gasinlet to a distant location corresponding with the gas outlet describedin relation to FIG. 1.

First contact module 110 may include at least a first heat exchange feedchannel 112 that is provided to deliver the feed of the heat exchangefluid to a first plurality of heat exchange channels 114, wherein thefirst heat exchange feed channel 112 extends in a direction of the flowaxis AA, and is fluidly interconnected with the first plurality of heatexchange channels 114. The first plurality of heat exchange channels 114may be provided in corresponding flow diversion barriers that comprise acontactor network of flow diversion barriers with flow voids formovement of process fluids (e.g. the gas mixture and scrubbing solutiondescribed above in relation to FIG. 1) between the flow diversionbarriers. The first heat exchange feed channel 112 may be fluidlyinterconnected to the heat exchange channels 114 at multiple feedlocations spaced along a first portion of the contactor network disposedalong a first longitudinal portion of the flow axis AA to input the feedof the heat exchange fluid into a multiple different locations along theflow axis AA.

The contactor network of flow diversion barriers may be provided todivert the flow of process fluids, thereby facilitating increasedcontact between different constituents of the process fluids (e.g.between the gas mixture and the scrubbing solution described above inrelation to FIG. 1). In turn, the heat exchange fluid may be flowedthrough the heat exchange channels 114 for thermal exchange with theprocess fluids, as may be desirable. For example, a heat exchangecooling fluid may be flowed through the heat exchange channels 114 tocool process fluids, e.g. to reduce undesirable degradation of scrubbingsolution constituents, or heat exchange heating fluid may be flowedthrough the heat exchange channels to heat process fluids.

First contact module 110 may further comprise at least a first heatexchange collection channel 116 to collect effluent of the heat exchangefluid from the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 for passageto the output manifold 150 or to an additional contact module disposedbetween the first contact module 110 and output manifold 150. As shownin FIG. 2, the first heat exchange collection channel 116 may extend ina direction of the flow axis AA and may be fluidly connected with thefirst plurality of heat exchange channels 114 at multiple collectionlocations spaced along the flow axis AA so as to receive the effluent ofthe heat exchange fluid at multiple different locations along the flowaxis AA.

In contemplated implementations, at least a portion or all of the firstplurality of heat exchange channels 114 and corresponding diversionbarriers may branch-out and cross-connect, both physically and fluidly,to define a web-like contactor network extending across the flow path ofprocess fluids through a process vessel. In that regard, at least aportion or all of the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 mayextend non-linearly along the flow axis AA. For example, the firstplurality of heat exchange channels 114 may extend in a spiral-likemanner along the flow axis AA. In one arrangement, the first pluralityof heat exchange channels 114 may extend along the flow axis AAaccording to a common, predetermined function (e.g. a gyroidconfiguration, a helical configuration, etc.) or parametricallyrepeating pattern.

As further shown in FIG. 2, the first contact module 110 may optionallycomprise at least a first heat exchange bypass channel 118 extending ina heat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axis AA beyond thefirst longitudinal portion of the flow axis AA within which the multiplefeed locations of first exchange feed channel 112 are provided. In thatregard, the first heat exchange bypass channel 118 may be providedwithout fluid communication with the first plurality of heat exchangechannels 114 in the contact module 110. Rather, the first heat exchangebypass channel 118 may be provided to optionally deliver a portion ofthe feed of the heat exchange fluid to additional heat exchange channelsthat may optionally be located along one or more additional,longitudinal portions of the flow axis AA, downstream, in a heatexchange fluid flow direction, of the first longitudinal portion (e.g.,as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8). In other embodiments, the firstheat exchange feed channel 112 may be extended to deliver a portion ofthe feed of the heat exchange fluid to additional heat exchange channelslocated along one or more additional, longitudinal portions of the flowaxis AA, downstream of the first longitudinal portion.

With further reference to FIG. 2, the first contact module 110 mayinclude a second heat exchange feed channel 122 to deliver the feed ofthe heat exchange fluid to a second plurality of heat exchange channels124, wherein the second heat exchange feed channel 122 extends in adirection of the flow axis AA and is fluidly interconnected with thesecond plurality of heat exchange channels 124 at multiple feedlocations spaced along the flow axis AA to input the feed of the heatexchange fluid into multiple different locations along the flow axis AA.The second plurality of heat exchange channels 124 may be provided incorresponding flow diversion barriers comprising the contactor networkof flow diversion barriers. The first contact module 110 may furtherinclude a second heat exchange collection channel 126 to collecteffluent of the heat exchange fluid from the second plurality of heatexchange channels 124, wherein the second heat exchange collectionchannel 126 extends in a direction of the flow axis AA and is fluidlyinterconnected with the second plurality of heat exchange channels 124at multiple collection locations spaced along the flow axis AA toreceive the effluent of the heat exchange cooling fluid from multipledifferent locations in the contactor network along the flow axis AA. Asshown in FIG. 2, the multiple feed locations of the second heat exchangefeed channel 122 may be located in the first portion of the contactornetwork disposed along the first longitudinal portion of the flow axisAA.

The first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 may represent a firstheat exchange fluid path through the first contact module 110 and thesecond plurality of heat exchange channels 124 may represent a secondheat exchange fluid path through the first contact module 110. In somearrangements, at least a portion of the first plurality of heat exchangechannels 114 and at least a portion of the second plurality of heatexchange channels 124 may be interdigitated. In that regard, portions ofthe first plurality and second plurality of heat exchange channels 114,124 may be physically interconnected or interpenetrating, while beingfree from fluid interconnection between the first plurality and secondplurality heat exchange channels 114, 124. In this regard, the first andsecond plurality of heat exchange channels 114, 124 thus representseparate and independent heat exchange paths that may be individuallyused or not used for heat exchange to help control the amount of heatexchange provided to the interdigitated region. For example, a higherrate of heat exchange in the region may be provided by supplying heatexchange fluid both through the first heat exchange feed channel 112 tothe first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 and through the secondheat exchange feed channel 122 to the second plurality of heat exchangechannels 124. A lower rate of heat exchange in the region may beprovided by blocking feed to either the first heat exchange feed channel112 or the second heat exchange feed channel while leaving the otheropen, and no heat exchange to the region may be provided by blockingfeed to both the first and second heat exchange feed channels 112, 122in situations when no heat exchange is desired in that portion of thecontactor network.

In contemplated implementations, at least a portion or all of the secondplurality of heat exchange channels 124 and corresponding diversionbarriers may branch out and cross-connect, both physically and fluidly,to define a web-like contactor network. In that regard, at least aportion or all of the second plurality of heat exchange channels 124 mayextend non-linearly along the flow axis AA. For example, the secondplurality of heat exchange channels 124 may extend in a spiral-likemanner along the flow axis AA. In one arrangement, the second pluralityof heat exchange channels 124 may extend along the flow axis AAaccording to a common, predetermined function (e.g. a gyroidconfiguration, a helical configuration, etc.) or parametricallyrepeating pattern.

The contact module 110 may optionally include a second heat exchangebypass channel 128 extending in the heat exchange fluid flow directionalong the flow axis AA beyond the first longitudinal portion of the flowaxis AA, without fluid communication with the first plurality of heatexchange channels 114 or the second plurality of heat exchange channels124 in the first portion of the contactor network, so as to provide aportion of the feed of the heat exchange fluid to additional heatexchange channels that may optionally be located in one or moreadditional, longitudinal portions of the flow axis AA locateddownstream, in a heat exchange fluid flow direction, of the firstlongitudinal portion. In other embodiments, the second heat exchangefeed channel 122 may be extended to deliver a portion of the feed of theheat exchange fluid to additional heat exchange channels located alongone or more additional, longitudinal portions of the flow axis AA,downstream of the first longitudinal portion, and the second heatexchange bypass channel 128 may optionally be eliminated.

As noted, the optional first heat exchange bypass channel 118 and/or theoptimal second heat exchange bypass channel 128, or the first heatexchange feed channel 112 and/or second heat exchange feed channel 122,may be provided to flow corresponding portions of the feed of the heatexchange fluid along the flow axis AA beyond the first longitudinalportion of the flow axis AA. In that regard, additional downstream heatexchange channels may be provided in the first contact module 110.Additionally or alternatively, such additional downstream heat exchangechannels, and corresponding flow diversion barriers, may be provided inone or more additional contact modules, wherein a plurality of contactmodules may be fluidly interconnected in end-to-end relation throughinterfacing ends thereof (e.g, as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8).

In one approach, one or more heat exchange bypass channel portion of afirst contact module may be fluidly interconnected with a correspondingone or more heat exchange feed channel of a downstream second contactmodule and/or fluidly interconnected with a corresponding one or moreheat exchange bypass channel portion of a downstream second contactmodule, and one or more heat exchange collection channel portion of thefirst contact module may be fluidly interconnected with a correspondingone or more heat exchange collection channel portion of the downstreamsecond contact module. In another approach, one or more heat exchangefeed channel portion of a first contact module may be fluidlyinterconnected with a corresponding one or more heat exchange feedchannel portion of a downstream second contact module, and one or moreheat exchange collection channel portion of the first contact module maybe fluidly interconnected with a corresponding one or more heat exchangecollection channel portion of the downstream second contact module. Aswill be appreciated, in either approach additional contact modules maybe fluidly interconnected in like fashion to deliver different portionsof the feed of the heat exchange fluid to heat exchange channels havingcorresponding feed locations located in different ones of the contactmodules located along the length of the flow axis AA, wherein theeffluent of the different portions of the feed of the heat exchangefluid may be collected for removal in fluidly interconnectable portionsof at least one heat exchange collection channel (e.g. collected forremoval via a common collection channel).

By way of example, reference is now made to FIG. 3 which illustrates anembodiment of a contactor unit 200 having an input manifold 140, anoutput manifold 150 and three contact modules 110 a, 110 b and 110 c,wherein a first amount of heat exchange is provided in a second contactmodule 110 b, and a greater, second amount of heat exchange is providedin a third contact module 110 c. More particularly, a first contactmodule 110 a may comprise a first portion of a first heat exchangebypass channel 118 a and a first portion of a second heat exchangebypass channel 128 a, each of which extends beyond a first longitudinalportion of the flow axis AA in the first contact module 110 a.

In that regard, while blocked-off with a plug member 162 and notutilized in the configuration of FIG. 3, the first contact module 110 amay include at least a first heat exchange feed channel 112 a tooptionally deliver feed of the heat exchange fluid to a first pluralityof heat exchange channels 114 a, wherein the first heat exchange feedchannel 112 a extends in a direction of the flow axis AA, and is fluidlyinterconnected with the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 aat multiple feed locations spaced along a first longitudinal portion ofthe flow axis AA, to input the feed of the heat exchange fluid intomultiple different locations along the flow axis AA. The first pluralityof heat exchange channels 114 a may be provided in corresponding flowdiversion barriers that comprise a contactor network of flow diversionbarriers with flow voids between the flow diversion barriers formovement of process fluids therebetween. In contemplatedimplementations, at least a portion or all of the first plurality ofheat exchange channels 114 a and corresponding diversion barriers maybranch-out and cross-connect, both physical and fluidly, to define aweb-like contactor network. In that regard, at least a portion or all ofthe first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 a may extendnon-linearly along the flow axis AA. For example, the first plurality ofheat exchange channels 114 a may extend in a spiral-like manner alongthe flow axis AA. In one arrangement, the first plurality of heatexchange channels 114 a may extend along the flow axis AA according to acommon, predetermined function (e.g. a gyroid configuration, a helicalconfiguration, etc.) or parametrically repeating pattern.

While not utilized in the configuration of FIG. 3, the first contactmodule 110 a may further comprise at least a first portion of a firstheat exchange collection channel 116 a to collect effluent of the heatexchange fluid from the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 a.The first portion of the heat exchange collection channel 116 a mayextend in a direction of the flow axis AA and may be fluidly connectedwith the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 a at multiplecollection locations spaced along the flow axis AA so as to receive theeffluent of the heat exchange fluid at multiple different locationsalong the flow axis AA in the first contact module 110 a.

In similar manner to first heat exchange feed channel 112 a, second heatexchange feed channel 122 b of contact module 110 a is also blocked-offwith a plug member 162 and not utilized in the configuration of FIG. 3.In that regard there is no active heat exchange provided in contactmodule 110 a through either the first plurality of heat exchangechannels 114 a or the second plurality of heat exchange channels 124 a.In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3, the contact module 110 aprovides for mass transfer between fluid phases of processing fluidsmoving through flow voids between the flow diversion barriers includingthe first and second pluralities of heat exchange channels 114 a and 124a, but without active heat exchange.

The first portion of the first heat exchange bypass channel 118 a of thefirst contact module 110 a may be fluidly interconnected to a secondportion of the first heat exchange bypass channel 118 b of the secondcontact module 110 b and to a first heat exchange feed channel 112 b ofthe second contact module 110 b. Further, the first portion of thesecond heat exchange bypass channel 128 a of the first contact module110 a may be fluidly interconnected to a second portion of the secondheat exchange bypass channel 128 b of the second contact module 110 b.

The first heat exchange feed channel 112 b of the second contact module110 b may deliver the feed of the heat exchange fluid to a firstplurality of heat exchange channels 114 b of the second contact module110 b, wherein the first heat exchange feed channel 112 b of the secondcontact module 110 b extends in a direction of the flow axis AA, and isfluidly interconnected with the first plurality of heat exchangechannels 114 b at multiple feed locations spaced along a secondlongitudinal portion of the flow axis AA, downstream of the firstlongitudinal portion of the flow axis AA, to input the feed of the heatexchange fluid into multiple different locations along the flow axis AAin the second contact module 110 b. The first plurality of heat exchangechannels 114 b may be provided in corresponding flow diversion barriersof the second contact module 110 b that comprise a contactor network offlow diversion barriers with flow voids for movement of process fluidstherebetween through the second contact module 110 b. In contemplatedimplementations, at least a portion or all of the first plurality ofheat exchange channels 114 b and corresponding flow diversion barriersin the second contact module 110 b may branch-out and cross-connect,both physically and fluidly, to define a web-like contactor network. Inthat regard, at least a portion or all of the first plurality of heatexchange channels 114 b may extend non-linearly along the flow axis AA.For example, the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 b mayextend in a spiral-like manner along the flow axis AA. In onearrangement, the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 b mayextend along the flow axis AA according to a common, predeterminedfunction (e.g. a gyroid configuration, a helical configuration, etc.) orparametrically repeating pattern.

The second contact module 110 b may further comprise at least a secondportion of first heat exchange collection channel 116 b, fluidlyconnected to the first portion of first heat exchange collection channel116 a, to collect effluent of the heat exchange fluid from the firstplurality of heat exchange channels 114 b. The second portion of firstheat exchange collection channel 116 b may extend in a direction of theflow axis AA and may be fluidly connected with the first plurality ofheat exchange channels 114 b at multiple collection locations spacedalong the flow axis AA so as to receive the effluent of the heatexchange fluid at multiple different locations along the flow axis AA inthe second contact module 110 b.

In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3, the second feed channel 122b in second contact module 110 b is blocked-off by a plug member 162 andis not utilized. In that regard, active heat exchange in the secondcontact module 110 b is only through the first plurality of heatexchange channels 114 b and not through the second plurality of heatexchange channels 124 b. In the third contact module 110 c both thefirst and second heat exchange feed channels 112 c, 122 c are open toprovide delivery of heat exchange fluid to both the first plurality andthe second plurality of heat exchange channels 114 c, 124 c,respectively, for active heat exchange through both of those heatexchange paths in third contact module 110 c.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second portion of the first heat exchange bypasschannel 118 b of the second contact module 110 b may be fluidlyinterconnected to a first heat exchange feed channel 112 c of the thirdcontact module 110 c, and the second portion of the second heat exchangebypass channel 128 b of the second contact module 110 b may be fluidlyinterconnected to a second heat exchange feed channel 122 c of the thirdcontact module 110 c. In turn, the first heat exchange feed channel 112c of the third contact module 110 c may be fluidly interconnected with afirst plurality of heat exchange channels 114 c at multiple feedlocations spaced along a third longitudinal portion of the first flowaxis AA in the third contact module 110 c, downstream of the firstlongitudinal portion and second longitudinal portion of the flow axisAA, to input the feed of the heat exchange fluid into multiple differentlocations along the flow axis AA in the third contact module 110 c. Thefirst plurality of heat exchange channels 114 c may be provided incorresponding flow diversion barriers that comprise the contactornetwork flow of the third contact module 110 c. In contemplatedimplementations, at least a portion or all of the first plurality ofheat exchange channels 114 c and corresponding diversion barriers maybranch-out and cross-connect, both physically and fluidly, to define aweb-like contactor network of the third contact module 110 c. In thatregard, at least a portion or all of the first plurality of heatexchange channels 114 c may extend non-linearly along the flow axis AA.For example, the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 c mayextend in a spiral-like manner along the flow axis AA. In onearrangement, the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 c mayextend along the flow axis AA according to a common, predeterminedfunction (e.g. a gyroid configuration, a helical configuration, etc.) orparametrically repeating pattern.

Similarly, the second heat exchange feed channel 122 c of the thirdcontact module 110 c may be provided to deliver the feed of the heatexchange fluid to a second plurality of heat exchange channels 124 c ofthe third contact module 110 c, wherein the second heat exchange feedchannel 122 c extends in a direction of the flow axis AA, and is fluidlyinterconnected with the second plurality of heat exchange channels 124 cat multiple feed locations spaced along the third longitudinal portionof the flow axis AA to input the feed of the heat exchange fluid intomultiple different locations along the flow axis AA in the third contactmodule 110 c. The second plurality of heat exchange channels 124 c maybe provided in corresponding flow diversion barriers that comprise thecontactor network of the third contact module 110 c. In contemplatedimplementations, at least a portion or all of the second plurality ofheat exchange channels 124 c and corresponding diversion barriers maybranch-out and cross-connect, both physically and fluidly, to define aweb-like contactor network of the third contact module 110c. In thatregard, at least a portion or all of the second plurality of heatexchange channels 124 c may extend non-linearly along the flow axis AA.For example, the second plurality of heat exchange channels 124 c mayextend in a spiral-like manner along the flow axis AA. In onearrangement, the second plurality of heat exchange channels 124 c mayextend along the flow axis AA according to a common, predeterminedfunction (e.g. a gyroid configuration, a helical configuration, etc.) orparametrically repeating pattern.

As shown in FIG. 3, the third contact module 110 c may comprise a thirdportion of first heat exchange collection channel 116 c that is fluidlyconnected to the second portion of the first heat exchange collectionchannel 116 b, and that extends in the direction of the flow axis AA andis fluidly interconnected with the first plurality of heat exchangeplant channels 114 c at multiple locations spaced along the flow axis AAto receive the effluent of the heat exchange fluid from multipledifferent locations in the contactor network of the third contact module110 c along the flow axis AA. Similarly, the third contact module 110 cmay comprise third portion of the second heat exchange collectionchannel 126 c that extends in the direction of the flow axis AA and isfluidly interconnected with the second plurality of heat exchange plantchannels 124 c at multiple locations spaced along the flow axis AA toreceive the effluent of the heat exchange fluid from multiple differentlocations in the contactor network of the third contact module 110 calong the flow axis AA.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which illustrates the contactor unit 200of FIG. 3 in side-by-side relation to a first temperature profile TP1and a second temperature profile TP2 along a length L of contactor unit200 corresponding with the flow axis AA. The first temperature profileTP1 may correspond with a temperature of process fluids flowing throughcontactor unit 200 without the delivery of a cooling heat exchange fluidto the contactor unit 200. In contrast, the second temperature profileTP2 may correspond with a temperature of process fluids flowing throughcontactor unit 200 with the delivery of a cooling heat exchange fluid tothe contactor unit 200. As may be appreciated, realization of the secondtemperature profile TP2 may be desirable from the standpoint of reducingtemperatures in an upper region of a carbon dioxide scrubbing vessel,corresponding with the position of the second contact module 110 b andthird contact module 110 c, e.g. thereby reducing degradation of processfluid constituents.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 5A and 5B which illustrate opposite,interfacing ends of an embodiment of a contact module 110, and to FIGS.6A and 6B which illustrate embodiments of an input manifold 140 andoutput manifold 150, respectively. In particular, FIG. 5A illustrates abottom interfacing end portion of contact module 110 adapted forinterconnection with an interfacing end of the input manifold 140 shownin FIG. 6A. In that regard, the bottom interfacing end portion ofcontact module 110 and interfacing end of input manifold 140 maycomprise complementary male and female components for selectiveinterconnection and disconnection of the contact module 110 and inputmanifold 140. As shown, the bottom interfacing end portion of thecontact module 110 may include one or a plurality of male members 132configured for receipt by one or a plurality of female recesses 142comprising the interfacing end of input manifold 140. More particularly,the male members 132 may extend from an annular end face 134 of thecontact module 110 and may be of an L-shaped configuration. In turn, thefemale recesses 142 may extend into an annular end face 144 of the inputmanifold 140 in a complementary L-shaped configuration, wherein uponrelative advancement of the contact module 110 and input manifold 140,and relative rotation of the contact member 110 and input manifold 140,the male members 132 may be secured within the female recesses 142.

With further reference to FIGS. 5A and 6A, the annular end face 134 ofthe interfacing end of contact module 110 and the annular end face 144of the interfacing end of input manifold 140 may each present aplurality of corresponding fluid ports for fluid interconnection uponphysical interconnection of the contact module 110 and input manifold140. In particular, and with reference to FIG. 5A, the annular end face134 of contact module 110 may present input ports 136 a fluidlyinterconnected to input ends of the first heat exchange feed channel 112and second heat exchange feed channel 122 described above in relation toFIG. 2, and input ports 136 b fluidly interconnected to input ends ofthe first heat exchange bypass channel 118 and second heat exchangebypass channel 128 described above in relation to FIG. 2. In turn, andwith reference to FIG. 6A, the annular end face 144 of the interfacingend of input manifold 140 may present ports 146 a for fluidinterconnection with ports 136 a of the contact module 110 for deliveryof the feed of the heat exchange fluid to the first heat exchange feedchannel 112 and second heat exchange feed channel 122, respectively, andports 146 b for fluid interconnection to ports 136 b of the contactmodule 110 for delivery of the feed of the heat exchange fluid to thefirst heat exchange bypass channel 118 and second heat exchange bypasschannel 128. To facilitate such fluid interconnections, a seal member160 may be provided at each of the fluid ports 146 a, 146 b of the inputmanifold 140. In the illustrated approach, seal member 160 may comprisean elongated O-ring configured for positioning within acorrespondingly-configured recess 148 that extends about each of thefluid ports 146 a, 146 b. Further in that regard, each of the fluidports 146 a, 146 b may include a projecting member 149 located forpositioning through a portion of the corresponding seal member 160, soas to maintain positioning of seal member 160 during rotativeinterconnection of the contact module 110 and input manifold 140.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the input manifold 140 and outputmanifold 150 are each provided in the form of an annular member aroundan internal flow path for flow of process fluids moving through thecontactor unit (e.g., contactor unit 100 of FIG. 2 or contactor unit 200of FIG. 3) toward or away from a contactor network that may be disposedbetween the input manifold 140 and the output manifold 150. Each of theinput manifold 140 and output manifold 150 includes a manifold voidinside the respective annular member to receive a combined input streamof heat exchange fluid and deliver different feeds of heat exchangefluid internally within the contactor unit or to accumulate heat changeeffluents of the contactor unit for output as a combined output streamof heat exchange fluid from the contactor unit.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 5B and 6B. In particular, FIG. 5Billustrates a top interfacing end portion of contact module 110 adaptedfor interconnection with an interfacing end of the output manifold 150shown in FIG. 6B. In that regard, the top interfacing end portion ofcontact module 110 and the interfacing end of output manifold 150 maycomprise complementary male and female components for selectiveinterconnection and disconnection of the contact module 110 and outputmanifold 150. As shown, the top interfacing end portion of the contactmodule 110 may include one or a plurality of female recess 172configured to receive one or a plurality of male members 152 comprisingthe interfacing end of output manifold 150. More particularly, the malemembers 152 may extend from the annular end face 154 of the outputmanifold 150 and may be of an L-shaped configuration. In turn, thefemale recesses 172 of the contact module 110 may extend into an annularend face 174 of the interfacing end of contact module 110 with acomplementary L-shaped configuration, wherein upon relative advancementof the contact module 110 and output manifold 150, and relative rotationof the contact module 110 and output manifold 150 the male members 152may be secured within the female recesses 172.

With further reference to FIGS. 5B and 6B, the annular end face 174 ofthe interfacing top end portion of contact module 110 and the annularend face 154 of the interfacing end of output manifold 150 may eachpresent one or a plurality of corresponding fluid ports for fluidinterconnection upon physical interconnection of the contact module 110and output manifold 150. In particular, and with reference to FIG. 5B,ports 176 c may be fluidly interconnected to the outlet ends of thefirst heat exchange collection channel 116 and second heat exchangecollection channel 126 described above in relation to FIG. 2. In turn,with reference to FIG. 6B, ports 156 c of the output manifold 150 may beprovided for fluid interconnection with the fluid ports 176 c of thecontact module 110 for receipt of the effluent of the feed of the heatexchange fluid from the first heat exchange collection channel 116 andsecond heat exchange collection channel 126. As shown in FIGS. 6B, sealmembers 160 may be provided at ports 176 c in a manner analogous to thatshown in FIG. 6A.

With reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B, flow diversion barriers 170corresponding with portions of the first plurality of heat exchangechannels 114 and second plurality of heat exchange channels 124 areillustrated. As shown, the flow diversion barriers 170 and correspondingheat exchange channels 114, 124 may be physically and fluidlyinterconnected to define a web-like contactor network that extends alongthe flow axis AA. In one approach, the flow diversion barriers 170 andcorresponding heat exchange channels 114, 124 may be provided viathree-dimensional printing techniques (e.g. additive manufacturingtechniques). In conjunction with the utilization of such techniques, theflow diversion barriers 170 and corresponding heat exchange channels114, 124 may be configured to optimize the desired mass transfer andheat exchange properties of the contact module 110 in relation to theobtainment of a desired temperature profile along flow axis AA. Forexample, the outer surface configuration of the flow diversion barriers170 may or may not be established to vary along the flow axis AA, andthe cross-sectional areas of the corresponding heat exchange channels114, 124 may or may not be configured to vary along the flow axis AA.Open spaces within the interior of the contact module 110 provide flowvoids for movement of process fluids through the contact module 110 andto contact the flow diversion barriers for mass transfer between fluidphases of such process fluids.

Component features for a contactor unit may be made by appropriateadditive manufacture techniques. The entire structure of contactor unitmay be fabricated by additive manufacturing, either as a unitarymanufactured piece or in separate assemblable pieces (e.g. assemblablemodules). Any additive manufacture technique may be used appropriate forthe geometries and fineness of features desired. Some example additivemanufacture techniques include sintering techniques to bind granularprecursor particles. For example fabrication using metallic materials ofconstruction may involve laser sintering or melting techniques. Asanother example, fabrication using polymeric materials may involvephotopolymerization techniques using photopolymers. For filled polymercompositions, for example, photopolymerization may bind filler particlesin the cured polymeric matrix. High aspect ratio filler particles (e.g.,needles, fibers, whiskers) may or may not be oriented. For example,orientation of such high aspect ratio filler particles across athickness of the fabricated feature (e.g., for Z-direction thermalconductivity) may involve orientation in a magnetic or electrical field.If desired, such fabricated features may be coated with thin chemicalresistant coating, for example on outside contactor surfaces that maycontact reactive process fluids during fluid treating operations.

Further, the materials utilized to provide the flow diversion barriers170 and corresponding heat exchange channels 114, 124 may be selected toprovide the desired heat exchange profile along the flow axis AA. Forexample, materials of construction for flow diversion barriers 170 maybe high thermal conductivity metallic materials (e.g. steal or titaniumcompositions), lower thermal conductivity plastic materials (e.g.engineering plastics) or material of intermediate thermal conductivity(e.g. plastic materials filled with metal powder to improve thermalconductivity). Materials of construction may be varied along the fluidpath of the heat exchange channels 114 or 124 to provide different heatexchange coefficients at different locations along the heat exchangefluid path, to vary heat exchange flux across the flow diversionbarriers 170.

In some embodiments a plurality of commonly-configured contact modulesmay be provided to facilitate modularized production, and simplified andcustomizable installation for many different applications. For example,the same contact module 110 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B may be utilized foreach of the first contact module 110 a, second contact module 110 b andthird contact module 110 c shown in FIG. 3, wherein interfacing ends ofthe first contact module 110 a, second contact module 110 b and/or thirdcontact module 110 c may be adapted to provide for the desired flow ofheat exchange fluid therebetween. In that regard, a bottom end portionof the second contact module 110 b may be provided as shown in FIG. 5Afor physical and fluid interconnection to a top end portion of the firstcontact module 110 a as shown in FIG. 5B. Similarly, a bottom endportion of the third contact module 110 c may be provided as shown inFIG. 5A for physical and fluid interconnection to a top end portion ofthe second contact module 110 b as shown in FIG. 5B. In conjunction withsuch interconnections, plug members such as the plug member 162 shown inFIG. 5B may be utilized to block different ones of fluid ports 176 a(e.g. each fluidly interconnected to one of a first heat exchange bypasschannel 118 or second heat exchange bypass channel 128 portion of firstcontact module 110 a and otherwise employable in conjunction with a sealmember 160 for fluid-interconnection with one of a first heat exchangebypass channel 118 or second heat exchange bypass channel 128 portion ofsecond contact module 110b), and/or different ones of fluid ports 176 a(e.g. each fluidly interconnected to one of a first heat exchange bypasschannel 118 or second fluid bypass channel 128 portion of first contactmodule 110 a and otherwise employable in conjunction with a seal member160 for fluid-interconnection with one of a first heat exchange feedchannel 112 a or second heat exchange feed channel 122 a of secondcontact module 110 b) at the interconnecting annular end face 174between the first contact module 110 a and second contact module 110 b.Plug members 162 may also be employed in analogous fashion at theinterfacing ends (e.g. annular end faces 154 and/or 174) between thesecond contact module 110 b and third contact module 110 c. Theutilization of plug members 162 to adapt the various interfacing ends isillustrated in FIG. 3.

Reference is now made to FIG. 7 which illustrates another embodiment ofa contactor unit 300 that includes an input manifold 140, a firstcontact module 110 a, a second contact module 110 b and an outputmanifold 150, each optionally having interfacing ends configured toyield the desired physical engagement therebetween and fluidinterconnections therethrough. In that regard, each of the interfacingends may be configured to include a plurality of male members 332 (e.g.tapered projections) and/or a plurality of complementary female members372 (e.g. tapered recesses) to receive the plurality of male members332. The plurality of male members 332 and the plurality of femalemembers 372 may be located to provide physical, end-to-end engagementbetween interfacing ends of the input manifold 140, first contact module110 a, second contact module 110 b, and output manifold 150 inpredetermined relative orientations (e.g. to align interfacing outletand inlet ports) so as to provide for the desired flow of heat exchangefluid therebetween. Further, at least a portion of the plurality of malemembers 332 and/or complementary plurality of female members 372 may beconfigured to permit or block the flow of heat exchange fluidtherethrough, thereby providing dual functionality.

As shown in the arrangement of FIG. 7, the first contact module 110 amay include at least a first heat exchange feed channel 112 a to delivera feed of heat exchange fluid to a first plurality of heat exchangechannels 114 a at multiple feed locations spaced along a firstlongitudinal portion of the flow axis AA, a first portion of a heatexchange collection channel 116 a to collect effluent of the feed ofheat exchange fluid from the first plurality of heat exchange channels114 a, and a first portion of first heat exchange bypass channel 118 awhich extends beyond the first longitudinal portion of the first flowaxis AA to provide feed of the heat exchange fluid to the second contactmodule 110 b. Further, the first contact module 110 a may furtherinclude a first portion of second heat exchange bypass channel 128 awhich extends beyond the first longitudinal portion of the flow axis AAto provide feed of the heat exchange fluid to the second contact module110 b. The first contact module 110 a may also include at least a firstportion of a first heat exchange collection channel 116 a to collecteffluent of the heat exchange fluid from the first plurality of heatexchange channels 114 a.

Second contact module 110 b may include a first heat exchange feedchannel 112 b fluidly interconnected to the first portion of first heatexchange bypass channel 118 a to deliver feed of the heat exchange fluidto a first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 b at multiple feedlocations spaced along a second longitudinal portion of the flow axisAA, downstream of the first longitudinal portion of the flow axis AA,and a second heat exchange feed channel 122 b fluidly interconnected tothe first portion of the second heat exchange bypass channel 128 a todeliver feed of the heat exchange fluid to a second plurality of heatexchange channels 124 b at multiple feed locations spaced along thesecond longitudinal portion of the flow axis AA. The second contactmodule 110 b may also include at least a second portion of the firstheat exchange collection channel 116 b to collect effluent of the heatexchange fluid from the first plurality of heat exchange channels 114 b,and at least a second portion of a second heat exchange collectionchannel 126 b to collect effluent of the heat exchange fluid from thesecond plurality of heat exchange channels 124 b.

As shown in FIG. 7, an inlet port to the first heat exchange feedchannel 112 b of the second contact module 110 b may be provided with atapered male member 332 at an inlet interfacing end of the secondcontact module 110 b, and an aligned, complementary, tapered femalemember 372 may be provided at a first outlet port of the first portionof the first heat exchange bypass channel 118 a at an outlet interfacingend of the first contact module 110 a, wherein such tapered male member332 and tapered female member 372 may be configured to engage and permitthe flow of feed of the heat exchange fluid therethrough. Similarly, aninlet port of the second feed channel 122 b of the second contact module110 b may be provided with a tapered male member 332 at an inletinterfacing end of the second contact module 110 b, and an aligned,complementary, tapered female member 372 may be provided at a firstoutlet port of the first portion of the second heat exchange bypasschannel 128 a at the outlet interfacing end of the first contact module110 a, wherein such tapered male member 332 and tapered female member372 may be configured to engage and permit the flow of feed of the heatexchange fluid therethrough from the first contact module 110 a to thesecond contact module 110 b. Further, an inlet port of the secondportion of the first heat exchange collection channel 116 b of thesecond contact module 110 b may be provided with a tapered male member332 at the inlet interfacing end of the second contact module 110 b, andan aligned, complementary, tapered female member 372 may be provided atan outlet port of the first portion of the first heat exchangecollection channel 116 a at the outlet interfacing end of the firstcontact module 110 a, wherein such tapered male member 332 and femalemember 372 may be configured to permit the flow of effluent of the heatexchange fluid therethrough from the first contact module 110 a to thesecond contact module 110 b. In conjunction with the noted dual physicaland fluid interconnections between tapered male members 332 andcomplementary tapered female members 372, a compression-fit fluid sealmay be realized therebetween, including arrangements in which the firstand second contact modules 110 a, 110 b, respectively, are positioned instacked relation as shown in FIG. 7.

As further illustrated in FIG. 7, additional physical engagement andfluid interconnections may be provided by additional aligned pairs ofthe male members 332 and female members 372 at an outlet interfacing endof the input manifold 140 and inlet interfacing end of the first contactmodule 110 a, and at an outlet interfacing end of the second contactmodule 110 b and inlet interfacing end of the output manifold 150. Asmay be appreciated, a compression-fit fluid seal may be provided wheresuch fluid interconnections are established.

Reference is now made to FIG. 8 which illustrates another embodiment ofa contactor unit 400 that an includes an input manifold 140, a firstintermediate flow control member 410 a, a first contact module 110 a, asecond intermediate flow control member 410 b, a second contact module110 b and an output manifold 150, each optionally having interfacingends configured to yield the desired physical engagement therebetweenand fluid interconnections therethrough. In that regard, each of theinterfacing ends may be configured to include a plurality of malemembers 432 (e.g. tapered projections) and/or a plurality ofcomplementary female members 472 (e.g. tapered recesses) to receive theplurality of male members 432. The plurality of male members 432 andplurality of female members 472 may be located to provide physicalend-to-end engagement between interfacing ends of the input manifold140, first intermediate flow control member 410 a, first contact module110 a, second intermediate flow control member 410 b, second contactmodule 110 b and output manifold 150 in predetermined relativeorientations (e.g. to align interfacing outlet and inlet ports) so as toprovide for the desired flow of heat exchange fluid therebetween.Further, at least a portion of the plurality of male members 432 and/orcomplementary plurality of female members 472 may be configured topermit and/or block the flow of heat exchange fluid therethrough,thereby providing dual functionality. In the illustrated embodiment, thefirst intermediate flow control member 410 a and second intermediateflow control member 410 b may be provided with the male members 432and/or female members 472 that are configured to permit and/or block theflow of heat exchange fluid through at least partially different ones ofa common plurality of fluid flow channels of the first intermediate flowcontrol member 410 a and second intermediate flow control member 410 b,thereby facilitating the use of first and second contact modules 110 a,100 b having a common configuration.

In particular, an inlet port to a first flow channel 411 a of the firstintermediate flow control member 410 a may be provided with a taperedmale member 432 at an inlet interfacing end of the first intermediateflow control member 410 a, and an aligned, complementary, tapered femalemember 472 may be provided at a first outlet port of the input manifold140 at an outlet interfacing end thereof, wherein such tapered malemember 432 and tapered female member 472 may be configured to engage andpermit the flow of feed of the heat exchange fluid therethrough, andwherein such feed of heat exchange fluid may flow to and through thefirst flow channel 411 a, a female member 472 provided at an outlet portof the first flow channel 411 a at the outlet interfacing end of thefirst intermediate flow control member 410 a, and an aligned,complementary, male member 432 provided at an inlet port of a first heatexchange feed channel 112 a of the first contact module 110 a at aninlet interfacing end thereof In turn, such feed of heat exchange fluidmay be delivered to heat exchange channels 114 a as otherwise describedin relation to other embodiments above. Further, an inlet port of asecond flow channel 412 a of the first intermediate flow control member410 a may be provided with a tapered male member 432 at the inletinterfacing end of the first intermediate flow control member 410 a, andan aligned, complementary, tapered female member 472 may be provided ata second outlet port of the input manifold 140 at the outlet interfacingend thereof, wherein such tapered male member 432 and tapered femalemember 472 may be configured to engage and permit the flow of feed ofthe heat exchange fluid therethrough, and wherein such feed of heatexchange fluid may flow to and through the second flow channel 412 a, afemale member 472 provided at an outlet port of the second flow channel412 a at the outlet interfacing end of the first intermediate flowcontrol member 410 a, and an aligned, complementary male member 432provided at an inlet port of a first portion of a first portion of afirst heat exchange bypass channel 118 a of the first contact module 110a at the inlet interfacing end thereof. Similarly, a third fluid flowchannel 413 a of the first intermediate flow control member 410 a may beprovided with a tapered male member 432 at the inlet interfacing end ofthe first intermediate flow control member 410 a, and an aligned,complementary, tapered female member 472 may be provided at a thirdoutlet port of the input manifold 140 at the outlet interfacing endthereof, wherein such tapered male member 432 and tapered female member472 may be configured to engage and permit the flow of feed of the heatexchange fluid therethrough, wherein such feed of heat exchange fluidmay flow to and through the third flow channel 413 a, a female member472 provided at an outlet port of the third flow channel 413 a at theoutlet interfacing end of the first intermediate flow control member 410a, and an aligned, complementary male member 432 provided at an inletport of a first portion of a first portion of second heat exchangebypass channel 128 a of the first contact module 110 a at the inletinterfacing end thereof. In conjunction with the noted physical andfluid interconnections between the tapered male members 432 andcomplementary tapered female members 472 of inlet manifold 140, firstintermediate flow control member 410 a and first contact module 110 a, acompression-fit fluid seal may be provided therebetween.

Further, an inlet port to a first channel 411 b of the secondintermediate flow control member 410 b may be provided with a taperedmale member 432 at an inlet interfacing end of the second intermediateflow control member 410 b, and an aligned, complementary, tapered femalemember 472 may be provided at a first outlet port of the first portionof the first heat exchange bypass channel 118 a of the first contactmodule 110 a at an outlet interfacing end thereof, wherein such taperedmale member 432 and tapered female member 472 may be configured toengage and permit the flow of feed of the heat exchange fluidtherethrough, and wherein such feed of the heat exchange fluid may flowto and through the first flow channel 411 b, a female member 472provided at an outlet port of the first channel 411 b at an outletinterfacing end of the second intermediate flow control member 410 b,and an aligned, complementary male member 432 provided at an inlet portof a first heat exchange feed channel 112 b of the second contact module110 b at an inlet interfacing end thereof. In turn, such feed of heatexchange fluid may be delivered to heat exchange channels 114 b asotherwise described in relation to other embodiments above.Additionally, an inlet port of another flow channel 414 b of the secondintermediate flow control member 410 b may be provided with a taperedmale member 432 at the inlet interfacing end of the second intermediateflow control member 410 b, and an aligned, complementary, tapered femalemember 472 may be provided at an outlet port of a first portion of thesecond heat exchange bypass channel 128 a of the first contact module110 a at the outlet interfacing end thereof, wherein such tapered malemember 432 and tapered female member 472 may be configured to engage andpermit the flow of feed of the heat exchange fluid therethrough, andwherein such feed of heat exchange fluid may flow to and through theother flow channel 414 b, a female member 472 provided at an outlet portof the other flow channel 414 b at the outlet interfacing end of thesecond intermediate flow control member 410 b, and an aligned,complementary male member 432 provided at an inlet port of a second heatexchange feed channel 122 b of the second contact module 110 b at theinlet interfacing end thereof. In turn, such feed of heat exchange fluidmay be delivered to heat exchange channels 124 b as otherwise describedin relation to other embodiments above.

In addition, an additional flow channel 415 b of the second flow controlmember 410 b may be provided with a tapered member 432 at the inletinterfacing end of the second intermediate flow control member 410 b,and an aligned, complementary, tapered female member may be provided atan outlet port of a first portion of a first portion of a first heatexchange collection channel 116 a of the first contact module 110 a atthe outlet interfacing end thereof, wherein such tapered male member 432and tapered female member 472 may be configured to engage and permit theflow of effluent of the heat exchange fluid therethrough (e.g. effluentcollected from heat exchange channels 114 a), wherein such effluent ofheat exchange fluid may flow to and through the additional flow channel415 b, a female member 472 provided at an outlet port of the additionalflow channel 415 b at the outlet interfacing end of the secondintermediate flow control member 410 b, and an aligned, complementarymale member 432 provided at an inlet port of a second portion of thefirst portion of the first heat exchange collection channel 116 b of thesecond contact module 110 b at the inlet interfacing end thereof. Thesecond portion of the first heat exchange collection channel 116 b ofthe second contact module 110 b may be provided to collect effluent ofheat exchange fluid from heat exchange channels 114 b.

In conjunction with the noted physical and fluid interconnectionsbetween tapered male members 432 and complementary, tapered femalemembers 472 of first contact module 110 a, second intermediate flowcontrol member 410 b, and second contact module 110 b, a compression-fitfluid seal may be provided therebetween. As illustrated in FIG. 8,additional physical engagement and fluid interconnections may beprovided by additional pairs of the male members 432 and female members472 at interfacing ends of the illustrated components. Where fluidinterconnections are made, compression-fit fluid seals may be provided.As may be appreciated, the male members 332, 432 in the configurationsof FIGS. 7 and 8 are illustrated as either shaded or not to indicatewhether the respective male members 332, 432 are configured as a fluidplug (shaded) to block fluid communication or are configured with afluid port therethrough (not shaded) to permit fluid communication. Inthe configuration of the contactor unit 300 of FIG. 7, the male members332, are configured so that a feed of heat exchange fluid is permittedto the first heat exchange feed channel 112 a and is blocked to thesecond heat exchange feed channel 122 a of first contact module 110 a,and so that feed of heat exchange fluid is permitted to both the firstand second heat change feed channels 112 b and 122 b of second contactmodule 110 b. In the configuration of the contactor unit 400 shown inFIG. 8, the male members 432 are configured so that feed of heatexchange fluid is the same as provided in FIG. 7, but is providedthrough selective blocking of fluid flow paths by fluid blocking modulemembers 432 of the first and second intermediate flow control members410a,b rather than fluid blocking features provided as part of the firstand second contact modules 110a,b for the contactor unit 300 of FIG. 7.Similar to the contactor unit 300 of FIG. 7, the contactor unit 400 ofFIG. 8 provides heat exchange fluid flow to the first heat exchange feedchannel 112 a of the first contact module 110 a and to the first andsecond heat exchange feed channels 112 b and 122 b of the second contactmodule 110 b, and blocks flow of heat exchange fluid to the second heatexchange feed channel 112 a of the first contact module 110 a. The useof the intermediate flow control members 410a,b permits the firstcontact module 110 a and the second contact module 110 b to be of thesame design, with all fluid ports open, and with selective flow controlfeatures to be provided through special configurations of the malemembers 432 provided in the intermediate flow control members 410 a,b,simplifying manufacture of the contact modules 110. As may beappreciated, with such a uniform design for such contact modules 110,successive ones of such contact modules 110 provided in a contactor unitmay be engaged directly to each other to permit flow of fluids throughall connecting fluid ports between the contact modules 110, and aparticularly configured intermediate flow control member (e.g., 410 a,410 b or a different configuration) may be disposed between a pair ofsuch contact modules 110 in succession only when it is desired to blockone or more of the possible fluid connections between the adjacentcontact modules 110. Also as may be appreciated, such an intermediateflow control member may be interposed between two contact modules 110 insuccession in a contactor unit to provide a longitudinal space along theflow axis when active heat exchange is not desired, and the longitudinallength of the intermediate flow control member along the flow axis maybe varied to provide a desired longitudinal spacing along the flow axisfor a desired length of break in active heat exchange between thesuccessive contact modules 110. Use of such intermediate flow controlmembers may provide cost-efficient flexibility of design of a contactorunit with multiple contact modules having capability for active heatexchange in a contactor network. Such an intermediate flow controlmember may or may not include a contactor network with flow diversionbarriers (but not including heat exchange channels) to promote masstransfer between fluid phases passing through the process fluid paththrough the intermediate flow control member. For example, such anintermediate flow control member may include a section filled withrandom packing material and/or a section of structured packing.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 9A and 9B which illustrate an endschematic view and side schematic view, respectively, of an envelopevolume 500 for a contactor unit that may be applicable to any or all ofthe contactor unit 100 of FIG. 2, the contactor unit 200 of FIG. 3, thecontactor unit 300 of FIG. 7, and/or the contactor unit 400 of FIG. 8.In each case, the contactor unit 100, 200, 300 and/or 400 may beconfigured to have an outer region OR and an inner region IR (e.g. anouter peripheral region extending about and along an inner region),wherein the corresponding at least one heat exchange feed channel (e.g.,one or more of 112 a, 112 b, 112 c, 122 a, 122 b, 122c) may be locatedin the outer region OR and the corresponding plurality of heat exchangechannels (e.g., one or more of 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, 124 a, 124 b, 124 c)may be located in the inner region IR. Additionally, the at least oneheat exchange collection channel (e.g., one or more of 116 a, 116 b, 116c, 126 a, 126 b, 126 c), and/or the at least one heat exchange bypasschannel (e.g., one or more of 118 a, 118 b, 118 c, 128 a, 128 b, 128 c)may be located in the outer region OR.

In some implementations, the at least one heat exchange feed channel mayextend about and along at least a portion of the inner region IR of thecontactor unit (e.g. the at least one heat exchange feed channel mayspiral about (e.g. 300°-390° around) and along at least a portion of theinner region IR), thereby facilitating the delivery of feed of the heatexchange fluid at multiple feed locations radially offset about andlongitudinally offset along the inner region IR. Further, the at leastone heat exchange collection channel may be provided to extend about andalong at least a portion of the inner region IR (e.g., the at least oneheat exchange collection channel may spiral about (e.g. 300°-390°around) and along at least a portion of the inner region IR), therebyfacilitating the collection of effluent of heat exchange fluid atmultiple collection locations radially offset about and longitudinallyoffset along the inner region IR. Further, in some implementations, allor at least a portion of the at least one heat exchange bypass channelmay be configured to extend linearly along the inner region IR withinthe outer region OR of the contactor unit.

In some implementations, such a contactor unit may be provided with theouter region

OR occupying no more than 50 percent, no more than 40 percent, no morethan 30 percent, no more than 20 percent, no more than 10 percent or nomore than 5 percent of the total volume of the envelope volume 500.Likewise, the envelope volume 500 may have a cross-sectioned area in aplane perpendicular to the flow axis AA within the perimeter of theenvelope volume 500 in which the portion of the cross-sectional areaoccupied by the outer region OR is no more than 50 percent, no more than40 percent, no more than 30 percent, no more than 20 percent, no morethan 10 percent or no more than 5 percent of the cross-sectional area.

By the term “envelope volume” of a contactor unit, it is meant a minimumvolume geometry of constant cross-section in a plane perpendicular tothe flow axis at all points over the length of the contactor unit alongthe flow axis that fully envelopes, or contains, the contactor unit.

Some other contemplated embodiments of implementation combinations, withor without additional features as disclosed above or elsewhere herein,are summarized as follows:

1. A fluid treating system for mass transfer between fluid phases inprocess fluids, the system comprising a fluid process vessel including:

a fluid inlet to receive a feed stream of a first process fluid to thevessel, the feed stream of the first process fluid including at least afirst fluid phase with material to be transferred to a second fluidphase in an internal volume of the vessel;

a fluid outlet to output a process effluent stream including the secondfluid phase having transferred material from the first process fluid;

a flow axis extending in a longitudinal direction along the vessel awayfrom a location corresponding with the fluid inlet;

a fluid mass transfer contactor unit disposed in the internal volumealong the flow axis to contact the process fluids moving through theinternal volume to facilitate mass transfer of the material from thefirst fluid phase to the second fluid phase, the contactor unitincluding a contactor network of flow diversion barriers with flow voidsfor movement of the process fluids between the flow diversion barriers,the contactor unit further comprising:

a plurality of heat exchange channels in the flow diversion barriers totransport heat exchange fluid through the contactor network to heat orcool the process fluids moving through the flow voids during a fluidtreating operation;

at least one heat exchange feed channel to deliver feed of the heatexchange fluid to the heat exchange channels, wherein the heat exchangefeed channel extends in a direction of the flow axis and is fluidlyconnected with the heat exchange channels at multiple feed locationsspaced along the flow axis to input the feed of the heat exchange fluidinto multiple different locations in the contactor network along theflow axis.

2. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 1, whereina said heat exchange feed channel feeds a corresponding said multiplefeed locations including at least 2, at least 3, at least 5, at least10, at least 15, at least 20 at least 25, at least 30, at least 40, atleast 70, least 80 or at least 100 of said feed locations. In somecontemplated implementations, this number of said feed locations of thesaid multiple feed locations is in a range with an upper limit of10,000, 1000, 500, 100, 75, 60, 50, 40 or 30, provided that the upperlimit is selected to be larger than the lower limit.

3. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 2, wherein:

the said heat exchange feed channel has a first minimum cross-sectionalarea for flow located upstream of a first said feed location along theflow axis of the corresponding said multiple feed locations fed by thecorresponding said heat exchange feed channel;

each said heat exchange channel fed by the said heat exchange feedchannel through the corresponding said multiple feed locations has asecond minimum cross-sectional area for flow; and

a ratio of the first minimum cross-sectional area for flow to the secondminimum cross-sectional area for flow is at least 2:1, at least 3:1, atleast 5:1, at least 10:1, at least 15:1, at least 20:1 at least 25:1, atleast 30:1, at least 40:1, at least 70:1; least 80:1 or at least 100:1.In some contemplated implementations, this ratio may be in a range withan upper limit of 10,000:1, 1000:1, 500:1, 100:1, 75:1, 60:1, 50:1,40:1, 30:1, 20:1 or 10:1 provided that the upper limit is selected to belarger than the lower limit of the range.

4. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 3, whereinthe first said feed location is spaced apart by at least 1 centimeter,at least 2 centimeters, at least 3 centimeters, at least 5 centimeters,at least 10 centimeters, at least 15 centimeters, at least 20centimeters, at least 25 centimeters, at least 30 centimeters, at least40 centimeters, at least 50 centimeters, at least 75 centimeters or atleast 1 meter along the flow axis from a last said feed location alongthe flow axis of the corresponding said multiple feed locations fed bythe corresponding said heat exchange feed channel. In some contemplatedimplementations, this spacing distance along the flow axis may be in arange with an upper limit of 10 meters, 8 meters, 6 meters, 5 meters, 4meters, 3 meters, 2 meters, 1 meter, 80 centimeters, 70 centimeters, 60centimeters or 50 centimeters, provided that the upper limit is selectedto be larger than the lower limit.

5. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 4, whereinthe corresponding said multiple feed locations comprises a density ofthe said feed locations per decimeter of length of the flow axis betweenthe first said feed location and the last said feed location of at least2, at least 4, at least 6, at least 8, at least 10, at least 15, atleast 20 or at least 25 of the said feed locations per decimeter oflength of the flow axis between the first said feed location and thelast said feed location. In some contemplated implementations, thisdensity may be in a range with an upper limit of 200, 100, 50, 40, 30,25, 20 or 10 of the said feed locations per decimeter of length of theflow axis between the first said feed location and the last said feedlocation, provided that the upper limit is selected to be larger thanthe lower limit.

6. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of example combinations3-5, wherein a ratio of the first minimum cross-sectional area for flowto a sum of the second minimum cross-sectional areas for flow of all ofsaid heat exchange channels fed by the said heat exchange feed channelthrough the corresponding said multiple feed locations is at least0.2:1, at least 0.3:1, at least 0.5:1 at least 0.6:1, at least 0.7:1, atleast 0.8:1, at least 0.9:1, at least 1:1, at least 1.1:1 or at least1.25:1. In some contemplated implementations this ratio may be in arange having an upper limit of 10:1, 6:1, 4:1, 3:1, 2:1, 1.5:1, 1.25:1or 1:1, provided that the upper limit is selected to be larger than thelower limit.

7. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of example combinations3-6, wherein the second minimum cross-sectional area for flow is in arange of from a lower limit of 2, 3, 5, 8, 12, 18, 25, 50, 75 or 100square millimeters to an upper limit of 2500, 2000, 1500, 1000, 700,400, 300, 200, 100, 80, 60, 40, 30 or 20 square millimeters, providedthat the upper limit is larger than the lower limit.

8. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of example combinations2-7, wherein for at least 2, at least 4, or at least 6 of said feedlocations of the corresponding said multiple feed locations, the flowaxis is perpendicular to a plane passing through the said feed location,the said heat exchange feed channel and a said heat exchange channel fedby the said heat exchange feed channel. In some contemplatedimplementations, for at least a majority of, or even for substantiallyall or all of, said feed locations of the corresponding said multiplefeed locations, the flow axis is perpendicular to such plane passingthrough the said feed location, the said heat exchange feed channel anda said heat exchange channel fed by the said heat exchange feed channel

9. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 8, whereinthe flow axis is a vertical axis and each said plane is a horizontalplane.

10. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 2-9, wherein a plurality of said feed locations of thecorresponding said multiple feed locations are located at differentradial positions about the flow axis.

11. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 10,comprising at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 6, at least 8,at least 10, at least 20 or at least 30 of the different radialpositions. In some contemplated implementations, the number of thedifferent radial positions is not larger than 1000, not larger than 500,not larger than 300, not larger than 200, not larger than 100, notlarger than 75, not larger than 50, not larger than 25 or not largerthan 15.

12. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-11, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange feed channel is located in an outerregion of the contactor unit that extends along the direction of theflow axis; and,

the plurality of heat exchange channels are located in an inner regionof the contactor unit that extends along the direction of the flow axis.

13. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 12,wherein:

the at least one heat exchange feed channel extends about and along atleast a portion of the inner region of the contactor unit.

14. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 12 or example combination 13, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange feed channel spirals about and along atleast a portion of the inner region of the contactor unit.

15. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-14, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises at least one heat exchange collectionchannel to collect effluent of the heat exchange fluid from the heatexchange channels; and

the heat exchange collection channel extends in a direction of the flowaxis and is fluidly connected with the heat exchange channels atmultiple collection locations spaced along the flow axis to receive theeffluent of the heat exchange fluid from multiple different locations inthe contactor network along the flow axis.

16. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 15,comprising:

a said heat exchange feed channel to feed the corresponding saidmultiple feed locations as recited in any of example combinations 3-11;and

a said heat exchange collection channel to collect a said effluent ofthe heat exchange fluid from a corresponding said multiple collectionlocations that correspond to the corresponding said multiple feedlocations, and wherein:

the corresponding said multiple collection locations include at least 2,at least 3, at least 5, at least 10, at least 15, at least 20, at least25, at least 30 at least 40, at least 70, least 80 or at least 100 ofsaid collection locations. In some contemplated implementations, thisnumber of said collection locations of the said multiple collectionlocations is in a range with an upper limit of 10,000, 1000, 500, 100,75, 60, 50, 40 or 30, provided that the upper limit is selected to belarger than the lower limit.

17. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 16,wherein:

the said heat exchange collection channel has a third minimumcross-sectional area for flow downstream of a last said collectionlocation of the corresponding multiple said collection locations; and

a ratio of the third minimum cross-sectional area for flow to the secondminimum cross-sectional area for flow is at least 2:1, at least 3:1, atleast 5:1, at least 10:1, at least 15:1, at least 20:1 at least 25:1, atleast 30:1, at least 40:1, at least 70:1; least 80:1 or at least 100:1.In some contemplated implementations, this ratio may be in a range withan upper limit of 10,000:1, 1000:1, 500:1, 100:1, 75:1, 60:1, 50:1,40:1, 30:1, 20:1 or 10:1, provided that the upper limit is selected tobe larger than the lower limit of the range.

18. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 17,wherein the last said collection location is spaced apart by at least 1centimeter, at least 2 centimeters, at least 3 centimeters, at least 5centimeters, at least 10 centimeters, at least 15 centimeters, at least20 centimeters, at least 25 centimeters, at least 30 centimeters, atleast 40 centimeters, at least 50 centimeters, at least 75 centimetersor at least 1 meter along the flow axis from a first said collectionlocation along the flow axis of the corresponding said multiplecollection locations that correspond to the corresponding said multiplefeed locations. In some contemplated implementations, this spacingdistance along the flow axis may be in a range with an upper limit of 10meters, 8 meters, 6 meters, 5 meters, 4 meters, 3 meters, 2 meters, 1meter, 80 centimeters, 70 centimeters, 60 centimeters or 50 centimeters,provided that the upper limit is selected to be larger than the lowerlimit.

19. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 18,wherein the corresponding said multiple collection locations comprises adensity of the said collection locations per decimeter of length of theflow axis between the first said collection location and the last saidcollection location of at least 2, at least 4, at least 6, at least 8,at least 10, at least 15, at least 20 or at least 25 of the saidcollection locations per decimeter of length of the flow axis betweenthe first said collection location and the last said collectionlocation. In some contemplated implementations, this density may be in arange with an upper limit of 200, 100, 50, 40, 30, 25, 20 or 10 of thesaid collection locations per decimeter of length of the flow axisbetween the first said collection location and the last said collectionlocation, provided the upper limit is selected to be larger than thelower limit.

20. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 17-19, wherein a ratio of a number of said collectionlocations of the corresponding said multiple collection locations to anumber of said feed locations of the corresponding said multiple feedlocations is at least 0.5:1, 0.75:1, 0.9:1, 1:1, 1.1:1, 1.25:1 or 1.5:1.In some contemplated implementations, this ratio is not larger than 2,not larger than 1.75, not larger than 1.5, not larger than 1.25 or notlarger than 1.1. In some contemplated implementations, this ratio isabout 1.

21. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 17-20, wherein a ratio of the third minimum cross-sectionalarea for flow to a sum of the second minimum cross-sectional areas forflow of all of said heat exchange channels with collection therefrom bythe said heat exchange collection channel through the corresponding saidmultiple collection locations is at least 0.2:1, at least 0.3:1, atleast 0.5:1 at least 0.6:1, at least 0.7:1, at least 0.8:1, at least0.9:1, at least 1:1, at least 1.1:1 or at least 1.25:1. In somecontemplated implementations this ratio may be in a range having anupper limit of 10:1, 6:1, 4:1, 3:1, 2:1, 1.5:1, 1.25:1 or 1:1, providedthat the upper limit is selected to be larger than the lower limit.

22. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 17-21, wherein a ratio of the third minimum cross-sectionalarea for flow to the first minimum cross-sectional area for flow is atleast 0.5:1, at least 0.75:1, at least 0.9:1, at least 1:1, at least1.1:1 at least 1.25:1 or at least 1.5:1. In some contemplatedimplementations this ratio is not larger than 6:1, not larger than 4:1,not larger than 3:1, not larger than 2:1, not larger than 1.5:1, or notlarger than 1.25:1.

23. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 17-22, wherein for at least 2, at least 4, or at least 6 ofsaid collection locations of the corresponding said multiple collectionlocations, the flow axis is perpendicular to a plane passing through thesaid collection location, the said heat exchange collection channel anda said heat exchange channel from which a said effluent of the heatexchange fluid is collected by the said heat exchange collectionchannel. In some contemplated implementations, for at least a majorityof, or even for substantially all or all of, said collection locationsof the corresponding said multiple collection locations, the flow axisis perpendicular to such plane passing through the said collectionlocation, the said heat exchange collection channel and a said heatexchange channel from which a said effluent of the heat exchange fluidis collected by the said heat exchange collection channel.

24. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 23,wherein the flow axis is a vertical axis and each said plane is ahorizontal plane.

25. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 17-24, wherein a plurality of said collection locations ofthe corresponding said multiple collection locations are located atdifferent radial positions about the flow axis.

26. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 25,comprising at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 6, at least 8,at least 10, at least 20 or at least 30 of the different radialpositions. In some contemplated implementations, the number of thedifferent radial positions is not larger than 1000, not larger than 500,not larger than 300, not larger than 200, not larger than 100, notlarger than 75, not larger than 50, not larger than 25 or not largerthan 15.

27. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 15-26, comprising the outer region of the contactor unitand the inner region of the contactor unit as recited in examplecombination 12, and wherein:

the at least one heat exchange collection channel is located in theouter region of the contactor unit that extends along the direction ofthe flow axis.

28. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 27,wherein: the at least one heat exchange collection channel extends aboutand along at least a portion of the inner region of the contactor unit.

29. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 27 or example combination 28, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange collection channel spirals about andalong at least a portion of the inner region of the contactor unit.

30. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-29, wherein:

the contactor unit optionally comprises at least one heat exchangebypass channel to bypass a portion of the contactor network and the heatexchange channels therein to a downstream location in a heat exchangefluid flow direction along the flow axis;

the feed of the heat exchange fluid is a first feed of the heat exchangefluid and the multiple feed locations are first feed locations locatedto input the first feed of the heat exchange fluid in the heat exchangechannels in a first portion of contactor network in a first longitudinalportion of the contactor unit located along a first longitudinal portionof the flow axis;

the contactor unit comprises a second portion of the contactor networkin a second longitudinal portion of the contactor unit located along asecond longitudinal portion of the flow axis downstream of the firstlongitudinal portion of the flow axis in the heat exchange fluid flowdirection along the flow axis;

the contactor unit comprises multiple second feed locations spaced alongthe second longitudinal portion of the flow axis to input second feed ofthe heat exchange fluid into multiple different locations in the secondportion of the contactor network along the second longitudinal portionof the flow axis; and

the contactor unit is configured to transmit at least the second feedfrom the first longitudinal portion of the contactor unit to the secondlongitudinal portion of the contactor unit outside of the contactornetwork to provide the second feed of the heat exchange fluid to thesecond feed locations in the second portion of the contactor unit.

31. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 30,wherein: at least a portion of the heat exchange channels havingcorresponding said first feed locations to the first portion of thecontactor network are fluidly cross-connected within the first portionof the contactor network downstream of their corresponding said firstfeed locations; and

at least a portion of the heat exchange channels having correspondingsaid second feed locations to the second portion of the contactornetwork are fluidly cross-connected within the second portion of thecontactor network downstream of their corresponding said first feedlocations.

32. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 30 or example combination 31, wherein:

the heat exchange channels having corresponding said first feedlocations to the first portion of the contactor network are not fluidlycross-connected within the contactor network with the heat exchangechannels having corresponding said second feed locations to the secondportion of the contactor network.

33. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 30-32, wherein:

the heat exchange channels having corresponding said first feedlocations to the first portion of the contactor network and the heatexchange channels having corresponding said second feed locations to thesecond portion of the contactor network provide two separate heatexchange fluid flow paths through the contactor network that are notfluidly cross-connected in the contactor network.

34. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 30-33, wherein:

a said heat exchange feed channel includes a first portion of the saidheat exchange feed channel in the first longitudinal portion of thecontactor unit to input the first feed of the heat exchange fluidthrough the first feed locations;

the said heat exchange feed channel extends from the first portion ofthe heat exchange feed channel to a second portion of the said heatexchange feed channel in the second longitudinal portion of thecontactor unit downstream of the first portion of the heat exchange feedchannel to deliver the second feed to the second feed locations.

35. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 30-33, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a said heat exchange bypass channelextending in the heat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axispast the first portion of the contactor network to provide the secondfeed of the heat exchange fluid to the second feed locations to feed theheat exchange channels in the second portion of the contactor network inthe second longitudinal portion of the contactor unit; and

the contactor unit comprises a second said heat exchange feed channel todeliver said second feed of the heat exchange fluid from a first portionof said heat exchange bypass channel to the second feed locations forinput to the heat exchange channels in the second portion of thecontactor network, wherein the second said heat exchange feed channelextends in a direction of the flow axis and is fluidly interconnectedwith the heat exchange channels in the second portion of the contactornetwork.

36. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 35,wherein:

the first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel includes an inletport to receive the second feed of the heat exchange fluid, a firstoutlet port to deliver the second feed of the heat exchange fluid to aninlet port of said second said heat exchange feed channel, and a secondoutlet port to deliver the additional feed of the heat exchange fluid toan inlet port of a second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel todeliver outside of the contactor network the additional feed of the heatexchange fluid further downstream in the contactor unit in the heatexchange fluid flow direction along the flow axis.

37. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 30-36, comprising a said heat exchange collection channeland the corresponding said multiple collection locations as recited inany of example combinations 15-29, and wherein:

the corresponding said multiple collection locations are firstcollection locations in the first longitudinal portion of the contactorunit and the effluent of the heat exchange fluid is a first effluent ofthe heat exchange fluid received from multiple different locations inthe first portion of the contactor network into a first portion of thesaid heat exchange collection channel; and

a second portion of the heat exchange collection channel is located inthe second longitudinal portion of the contactor unit downstream in theheat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axis from the firstportion of the said heat exchange collection channel and is fluidlyconnected with the heat exchange channels having corresponding secondfeed locations for the second portion of the contactor network atmultiple second collection locations spaced along the secondlongitudinal portion of the flow axis in the second longitudinal portionof the contactor unit to receive a second effluent of the heat exchangefluid from multiple different locations in the second portion of thecontactor network along the second longitudinal portion of the flowaxis, wherein the first and second effluents of the heat exchange fluidcombine in the second portion of the said heat exchange collectionchannel.

38. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 37,wherein:

the first portion of the heat exchange collection channel includes anoutlet port to deliver the first effluent to an inlet port of the secondportion of the heat exchange collection channel.

39. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 37 or example combination 38, wherein:

the heat exchange channels having corresponding said first feedlocations and the corresponding said first collection locations for thefirst portion of the contactor network and the heat exchange channelshaving corresponding said second feed locations and the correspondingsecond collection locations for the second portion of the contactornetwork provide two separate heat exchange fluid flow paths through thecontactor network to the heat exchange collection channel that are notfluidly cross-connected between their respective said feed locations andsaid collection locations.

40. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 30-39, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a third portion of the contactor network ina third longitudinal portion of the contactor unit located along a thirdlongitudinal portion of the flow axis downstream of the secondlongitudinal portion of the flow axis relative to the heat exchangefluid flow direction along the flow axis;

the third longitudinal portion of the contactor unit comprises multiplethird feed locations spaced along the third longitudinal portion of theflow axis to input third feed of the heat exchange fluid into multipledifferent locations in the third portion of the contactor network alongthe third longitudinal portion of the flow axis; and

the contactor unit is configured to transmit the third feed from thesecond longitudinal portion of the contactor unit to the thirdlongitudinal portion of the contactor unit outside of the contactornetwork to feed the third feed locations in the third portion of thecontactor unit.

41. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 40,wherein:

at least a portion of the heat exchange channels having correspondingsaid third feed locations to the third portion of the contactor networkare fluidly cross-connected within the third portion of the contactornetwork downstream of their corresponding said third feed locations.

42. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 40 or example combination 41, wherein:

the heat exchange channels having corresponding said second feedlocations for the second portion of the contactor network are notfluidly cross-connected within the contactor network with the heatexchange channels having corresponding said third feed locations for thethird portion of the contactor network or with the heat exchangechannels having corresponding said first feed locations for the firstportion of the contactor network.

43. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 40-42, wherein:

the heat exchange channels having corresponding said first feedlocations for the first portion of the contactor network, the heatexchange channels having corresponding said second feed locations forthe second portion of the contactor network and the heat exchangechannels having corresponding said third feed locations for the thirdportion of the contactor network provide three separate heat exchangefluid flow paths through the contactor network that are not fluidlycross-connected in the contactor network.

44. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 40-43, comprising the said second portion of the heatexchange feed channel as recited in example combination 34, and wherein:

the said heat exchange feed channel extends from the second longitudinalportion of the contactor unit into the third longitudinal portion of thecontactor unit and includes a third portion of the said heat exchangefeed channel in the third longitudinal portion of the contactor unitdownstream of the second portion of the heat exchange feed channel todeliver the third feed of the heat exchange fluid to the third feedlocations.

45. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 40-43, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a said heat exchange bypass channelextending in the heat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axispast the second portion of the contactor network to provide the thirdfeed of the heat exchange fluid to the third feed locations to feed theheat exchange channels in the third portion of the contactor network inthe third longitudinal portion of the contactor unit; and

the contactor unit comprises a third said heat exchange feed channel influid communication with the bypass channel to deliver said third feedof the heat exchange fluid from a portion of said heat exchange bypasschannel to the third feed locations for input to the heat exchangechannels in the third portion of the contactor network, wherein thethird said heat exchange feed channel extends in a direction of the flowaxis and is fluidly interconnected with the heat exchange channels inthe third portion of the contactor network.

46. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 40-45, comprising a said heat exchange collection channelas recited in any one of example combinations 37-39, and wherein:

a third portion of said heat exchange collection channel is located inthe third longitudinal portion of the contactor unit downstream in theheat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axis from the secondportion of the heat exchange collection channel and is fluidly connectedwith the heat exchange channels having corresponding said third feedlocations for the third portion of the contactor network at multiplethird collection locations spaced along the third longitudinal portionof the flow axis in the third longitudinal portion of the contactor unitto receive a third effluent of the heat exchange fluid from multipledifferent locations in the third portion of the contactor network alongthe third longitudinal portion of the flow axis.

47. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 30-46, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a heat exchange input manifold fluidlyinterconnected with the first longitudinal portion of the contactor unitwith the input manifold located along the flow axis upstream of thefirst said longitudinal portion of the contactor unit in the heatexchange fluid flow direction along the flow axis; and

the contactor unit is configured for input to the contactor unit eachsaid feed of the heat exchange fluid to each said longitudinal portionof the contactor unit through the input manifold.

48. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 47,wherein the input manifold is configured for input of each said feed ofthe heat exchange fluid in a combined input stream of the heat exchangefluid to the input manifold to be divided in the contactor unit into thedifferent said feeds of the heat exchange fluid for different saidportions of the contactor network in different said longitudinalportions of the contactor unit.

49. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 47 or example combination 48, wherein:

the input manifold comprises an input annular member around a processfluid flow path through the input manifold and in fluid communicationwith the flow voids in each said longitudinal portion of the contactorunit;

the process fluid flow path through the input manifold includes flowopenings through opposing ends of the input annular member aligned alongthe flow axis with each said portion of the contactor network of eachsaid longitudinal portion of the contactor unit with the flow axisextending through the flow openings of the output annular member andthrough each said portion of the contactor network in each saidlongitudinal portion of the contactor unit.

50. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 49,wherein:

the input manifold includes a manifold input port in fluid communicationwith a heat exchange input manifold void in the input annular member,the input manifold void being in fluid communication with each said heatexchange feed channel and optionally with each said heat exchange bypasschannel to provide each said feed of the heat exchange fluid providedthrough the manifold input port from the input manifold void to thecorresponding said feed locations.

51. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 30-50, comprising a said heat exchange collection channelas recited in any of example combinations 15-29, 37-39 and 46, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a heat exchange output manifold fluidlyinterconnected with a final said longitudinal portion of the contactorunit with the output manifold disposed along the flow axis downstream ofthe final said longitudinal portion of the contactor unit in the heatexchange fluid flow direction along the flow axis; and

the contactor unit is configured for output from the contactor unit ofeach said effluent of the heat exchange fluid from each saidlongitudinal portion of the contactor unit through the output manifold.

52. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 51,wherein the output manifold is configured for output of each saideffluent of the heat exchange fluid in a combined output stream of theheat exchange fluid from the output manifold.

53. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 51 or example combination 52, wherein:

the output manifold comprises an output annular member around a fluidflow path through the output manifold and in fluid communication withthe flow voids in each said longitudinal portion of the contactor unit;

the process fluid flow path through the output manifold includes flowopenings through opposing ends of the output annular member alignedalong the flow axis with each said portion of the contactor network ofeach said longitudinal portion of the contactor unit with the flow axisextending through the flow openings of the output annular member andthrough each said portion of the contactor network in each saidlongitudinal portion of the contactor unit.

54. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 53,wherein: the output manifold includes a manifold output port from a heatexchange output manifold void in the output annular member, the outputmanifold void being in fluid communication with each said heat exchangecollection channel to output each said effluent of the heat exchangefluid from the output manifold void through the manifold output port.

55. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 30-54, wherein each said longitudinal portion of thecontactor unit is provided in a different contact module of a pluralityof the contact modules arranged in series along the flow axis for seriesflow of the heat exchange fluid through the contact modules in the heatexchange fluid flow direction along the flow axis, with each adjacentpair of the contact modules in the series being fluidly interconnectableand disconnectable through corresponding interfacing ends thereof.

56. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 55,wherein the contactor unit comprises at least one intermediate flowcontrol member, and wherein at least one said adjacent pair of thecontact modules are fluidly interconnected through their saidcorresponding interfacing ends with a said flow control member beinginterposed between their said corresponding interfacing ends.

57. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 56,wherein the contactor unit comprises a plurality of the intermediateflow control members, with each said intermediate flow control member ofthe plurality of the intermediate flow control members being interposedbetween the said corresponding interfacing ends of a different saidadjacent pair of the contact modules fluidly interconnected throughtheir said corresponding interfacing ends.

58. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 55-57, comprising at least one said adjacent pair of thecontact modules being fluidly interconnected through direct engagementof their said corresponding interfacing ends.

59. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 55-58, comprising the heat exchange input manifold asrecited in any one of example combinations 47-50, and wherein:

the first longitudinal portion of the contactor unit is in a first saidcontact module in the series; and

the input manifold is provided in an input manifold module and the firstsaid contact module and the input manifold module are fluidlyinterconnectable and disconnectable through corresponding interfacingends thereof.

60. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 55-59, comprising the heat exchange output manifold asrecited in any one of example combinations 51-54, and wherein:

the final said longitudinal portion of the contactor unit is provided ina final said contact module; and

the output manifold is provided in an output manifold module and thefinal said contact module and output manifold module are fluidlyinterconnectable and disconnectable through corresponding interfacingends thereof.

61. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-29, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises:

-   -   multiple contact modules arranged in series along the flow axis        for series flow of the heat exchange fluid through the contact        modules in a heat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow        axis, with adjacent contact modules in the series being fluidly        interconnectable and disconnectable through interfacing ends        thereof;    -   optionally, at least one intermediate flow control member        interposed between the interfacing ends of adjacent ones of the        contact modules; and    -   optionally, at least one heat exchange bypass channel to bypass        a portion of the contactor network and the heat exchange        channels therein to a downstream    -   location in the heat exchange fluid flow direction along the        flow axis;

the feed of the heat exchange fluid is a first feed of the heat exchangefluid and the multiple feed locations are first feed locations locatedto input the first feed of the heat exchange fluid in the heat exchangechannels in a first portion of contactor network disposed along a firstlongitudinal portion of the flow axis;

the first feed locations and the first portion of the contactor networkare in a first said contact module;

the contactor unit comprises a second said contact module comprising asecond portion of the contactor network located along a secondlongitudinal portion of the flow axis downstream of the firstlongitudinal portion of the flow axis in the heat exchange fluid flowdirection along the flow axis;

the second contact module comprises multiple second feed locationsspaced along the second longitudinal portion of the flow axis to inputsecond feed of the heat exchange fluid into multiple different locationsin the second portion of the contactor network along the secondlongitudinal portion of the flow axis; and

the first contact module and the second contact module are fluidlyinterconnectable and disconnectable through the interfacing endsthereof, and with the first contact module and the second contact modulefluidly interconnected the contactor unit is configured to transmit thesecond feed from the first contact module to the second contact moduleoutside of the contactor network to feed the second feed locations inthe second contact module.

62. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 61,wherein:

at least a portion of the heat exchange channels having correspondingsaid first feed locations in the first portion of the contactor networkare fluidly cross-connected within the first portion of the contactornetwork downstream of their corresponding said first feed locations; and

at least a portion of the heat exchange channels having correspondingsaid second feed locations in the second portion of the contactornetwork are fluidly cross-connected within the second portion of thecontactor network downstream of their corresponding said first feedlocations.

63. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 62,wherein:

the heat exchange channels having corresponding said first feedlocations in the first portion of the contactor network are not fluidlycross-connected within the contactor network with the heat exchangechannels having corresponding said second feed locations in the secondportion of the contactor network.

64. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 61-63, wherein the interfacing ends of the first contactmodule and the second contact module are adapted to, or a saidintermediate flow control member interposed between the interfacing endsof the first contact module and the second contact module is configuredto:

permit the flow of the second feed of the heat exchange fluid from thefirst contact module to the second contact module to feed the secondfeed locations.

65. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 61-64, wherein:

one of an outlet interfacing end of the first contact module and aninlet interfacing end of the second contact module comprises a pluralityof male members and the other comprises a complementary plurality offemale members for receiving the plurality of male members.

66. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 65,wherein:

each engaged pair of a said male member received in a said female memberis configured to permit or block the flow of the heat exchange fluidbetween the first module and the second module.

67. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 61-66, wherein:

a said heat exchange feed channel includes a first portion of the saidheat exchange feed channel in the first contact module to input thefirst feed of the heat exchange fluid through the first feed locations;

the said heat exchange feed channel extends from the first contactmodule into the second contact module and includes a second portion ofthe said heat exchange feed channel in the second contact moduledownstream of the first portion of the heat exchange feed channel todeliver the second feed to the second feed locations.

68. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of example combination61-66, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a said heat exchange bypass channelextending in the heat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axispast the first longitudinal portion of the flow axis in the firstportion of the contactor network to provide the second feed of the heatexchange fluid to the second feed locations to feed the heat exchangechannels in the second portion of the contactor network in the secondcontact module; and

the contactor unit comprises a second said heat exchange feed channel todeliver said second feed of the heat exchange fluid from a first portionof said heat exchange bypass channel to the second feed locations forinput to the heat exchange channels in the second portion of thecontactor network, wherein the second said heat exchange feed channelextends in a direction of the flow axis and is fluidly interconnectedwith the heat exchange channels in the second portion of the contactornetwork.

69. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 68,wherein:

the first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel includes an inletport to receive the second feed of the heat exchange fluid, a firstoutlet port to deliver the second feed of the heat exchange fluid to aninlet port of said second said heat exchange feed channel, and a secondoutlet port to deliver the third feed of the heat exchange fluid to aninlet port of the second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel.

70. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 69,wherein:

the first outlet port of the first portion of the heat exchange bypasschannel and the second outlet port of the first portion of the heatexchange bypass channel are each located at an outlet interfacing end ofthe first contact module; and,

the inlet port of the second portion of the heat exchange bypass channeland the inlet port of said second said heat exchange feed channel areeach located at an inlet interfacing end of the second contact module.

71. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 61-70, comprising a said heat exchange collection channeland the multiple collection locations as recited in any of examplecombinations 15-29, and wherein:

the multiple collection locations are first collection locations in thefirst contact module and the effluent of the heat exchange fluid is afirst effluent of the heat exchange fluid received from multipledifferent locations in the first portion of the contactor network into afirst portion of said heat exchange collection channel in the firstcontact module; and

a second portion of the said heat exchange collection channel is locatedin the second contact module downstream in the heat exchange fluid flowdirection along the flow axis from the first portion of the said heatexchange collection channel and is fluidly connected with the heatexchange channels having corresponding feed locations in the secondportion of the contactor network at multiple second collection locationsspaced along the second longitudinal portion of the flow axis in thesecond contact module to receive a second effluent of the heat exchangefluid from multiple different locations in the second portion of thecontactor network along the second longitudinal portion of the flowaxis.

72. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 71,wherein:

the first portion of the said heat exchange collection channel includesan outlet port to deliver the first effluent to an inlet port of thesecond portion of the said heat exchange collection channel.

73. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 72,wherein:

the outlet port of the first portion of the said heat exchangecollection channel is located at an outlet interfacing end of the firstcontact module; and,

the inlet port of the second portion of the said heat exchangecollection channel is located at an inlet interfacing end of the secondcontact module.

74. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 73,wherein:

the interfacing ends of the first contact module and second contactmodule are adapted to, or the contactor unit comprises a saidintermediate flow control member interposed between the interfacing endsof the first contact module and the second contact module and isconfigured to:

-   -   permit the flow of the first effluent from the first portion of        the said heat exchange collection channel to the second portion        of the said heat exchange collection channel.

75. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 61-74, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a third contact module comprising a thirdportion of the contactor network located along a third longitudinalportion of the flow axis downstream of the second longitudinal portionof the flow axis relative to the heat exchange fluid flow direction;

the third contact module comprises multiple third feed locations spacedalong the third longitudinal portions of the flow axis to input thirdfeed of the heat exchange fluid into multiple different locations in thethird portion of the contactor network along the third longitudinalportion of the flow axis; and

the second contact module and the third contact module are fluidlyinterconnectable and disconnectable through the interfacing endsthereof, and with the second contact module and the third contact modulefluidly interconnected the contactor unit is configured to transmit thethird feed from the second contact module to the third contact moduleoutside of the contactor network to feed the third feed locations in thethird contact module

76. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 75,wherein:

the heat exchange channels having corresponding said second feedlocations in the second portion of the contactor network are not fluidlycross-connected within the contactor network with the heat exchangechannels having corresponding said third feed locations in the thirdportion of the contactor network.

77. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 74 or example combination 75, comprising the said secondportion of the heat exchange feed channel as recited in examplecombination 67, and wherein:

the said heat exchange feed channel extends from the second contactmodule into the third contact module and includes a third portion of thesaid heat exchange feed channel in the third contact module downstreamof the second portion of the heat exchange feed channel to deliver thethird feed to the third feed locations.

78. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 75 or example combination 76, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a said heat exchange bypass channelextending in the heat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axispast the second longitudinal portion of the flow axis in the secondportion of the contactor network to provide the third feed of the heatexchange fluid to the third feed locations to feed the heat exchangechannels in the third portion of the contactor network in the thirdcontact module; and

the contactor unit comprises a third said heat exchange feed channel influid communication with the bypass channel to deliver said third feedof the heat exchange fluid from the said heat exchange bypass channel tothe third feed locations for input to the heat exchange channels in thethird portion of the contactor network, wherein the third said heatexchange feed channel extends in a direction of the flow axis and isfluidly interconnected with the heat exchange channels in the thirdportion of the contactor network.

79. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 75-78, wherein the interfacing ends of the second contactmodule and the third second contact module are adapted to, or a saidintermediate flow control member interposed between the interfacing endsof the second contact module and the third contact module and isconfigured to:

permit or block the flow of the third feed of the heat exchange fluidfrom the second contact module to the third contact module to feed thethird feed locations.

80. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 75-79, comprising a said collection channel as recited inany one of example combinations 71-74, and wherein:

a third portion of the said heat exchange collection channel is locatedin the third contact module downstream in the heat exchange fluid flowdirection along the flow axis from the second portion of the heatexchange collection channel and is fluidly connected with the heatexchange channels having corresponding said third feed locations in thethird portion of the contactor network at multiple third collectionlocations spaced along the third longitudinal portion of the flow axisin the third contact module to receive a third effluent of the heatexchange fluid from multiple different locations in the third portion ofthe contactor network along the third longitudinal portion of the flowaxis.

81. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 80,wherein the interfacing ends of the second contact module and the thirdsecond contact module are adapted to, or a said intermediate flowcontrol member interposed between the interfacing ends of the secondcontact module and the third contact module and is configured to:

permit the flow of the second effluent from the second portion of theheat exchange collection channel to the third portion of the heatexchange collection channel;

82. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-81, wherein walls of at least a portion of the heatexchange channels in the flow diversion barriers are constructed of amaterial of construction.

83. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 82,wherein the material of construction is a metallic material.

84. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 83,wherein the metallic material is selected from the group consisting of astainless steel and a titanium alloy.

85. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 82,wherein the material of construction comprises a polymeric material.

86. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 85,wherein the polymeric material comprises a cured photopolymer.

87. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 85 and example combination 86, where in the material ofconstruction is a filled polymeric material comprising a polymericmatrix and particles of filler dispersed by the polymeric matrix,wherein the filler as a higher thermal conductivity than the polymericmatrix.

88. A fluid treatment system as recited in example combination 87,wherein the particles of the filler comprise a metallic material.

89. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 88,wherein the metallic material is selected from the group consisting of astainless steel, a titanium alloy, aluminum, copper and nickel.

91. A fluid treatment system as recited in example combination 87,wherein the particles of the filler comprise carbon.

92. A fluid treatment system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 87-91, wherein the particles of the filler having an aspectratio of at least 2, at least 4, at least 6 or at least 10. The aspectratio may be a ratio of the length dimension to width dimension of theparticles. The aspect ratio for a batch of particles may be an averagevalue on any basis, for example based on a mass average basis, volumeaverage basis or number average basis, and preferably based on a massaverage basis. As will be appreciated, for particles of uniformcomposition, mass average basis and volume average basis will be thesame.

93. A fluid treatment system as recited in example combination 92,wherein the particles of the filler having the aspect ratio are alignedwith length dimensions extending in a direction across a thickness of asaid wall between a said heat exchange channel and an adjacent said flowvoid. In one contemplated implementation, the particles of the fillerhaving the aspect ratio are configured as Z-direction thermal conductorsin a said wall.

94. A fluid treatment system as recited in either one of examplecombination 92 or example combination 93, wherein the particles of thefiller having the aspect ratio comprise carbon fibers.

95. A fluid treatment system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 87-91, wherein the particles of the filler are granular.Such granular materials may have an aspect ratio of smaller than 2,smaller than 1.5 or smaller than 1.25. Such granular materials may becomprised of spheroidal particles.

96. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 82-95, wherein the material of construction changes incomposition in the contactor network along the flow axis over at leastone longitudinal portion of the flow axis.

97. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 96,wherein the material of construction is a filled polymeric material asrecited in any one of example combinations 87-95 and a loading of theparticles of the filler in the filled polymeric composition changesalong the at least one longitudinal portion of the flow axis.

98. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 97,wherein the loading of the particles of the filler increases over the atleast one longitudinal portion of the flow axis in a heat exchange fluidflow direction along the flow axis.

99. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-98, wherein the flow diversion barriers of the contactornetwork including the heat exchange channels have at least one propertythat changes along the flow axis over at least one longitudinal portionof the flow axis that changes a heat transfer coefficient for heatconduction across material of the flow diversion barriers separating theheat exchange channels from adjacent said flow voids.

100. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 99,wherein the at least one property includes composition of a material ofconstruction of the material of the flow diversion barriers.

101. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 99 or example combination 100, wherein the at least oneproperty includes wall thickness between the heat exchange channels andthe adjacent said flow voids.

102. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-101, wherein the vessel extends longitudinally in avertical direction and the flow axis is vertical through the vessel.

103. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 102,wherein a heat exchange fluid flow direction through the contactor unitalong the axis is vertically upward.

104. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 102,wherein a heat exchange fluid flow direction through the contactor unitalong the flow axis is vertically downward.

105. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-101, wherein the vessel extends longitudinally in ahorizontal direction and the flow axis is horizontal through the vessel.

106. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-105, wherein the heat exchange fluid is a heat exchangecooling fluid to cool the process fluids moving through the flow voids.

107. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-105, wherein the heat exchange fluid is a heat exchangeheating fluid to heat the process fluids moving through the flow voids.

108. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-107, wherein the heat exchange fluid as fed to the heatexchange channels is a liquid, optionally an aqueous liquid, andoptionally water or consisting essentially of water.

109. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-107, wherein the heat exchange fluid as fed to the heatexchange channels is a gas, optionally steam.

110. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-109, comprising a source of the heat exchange fluidfluidly interconnected with at least a portion of the heat exchangechannels.

111. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 110,comprising the heat exchange fluid flowing through at least a portion ofthe heat exchange channels.

112. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-111, comprising a source of the first process fluidfluidly interconnected with the fluid inlet.

113. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-112, wherein the first fluid phase is one of a gas phaseand a liquid phase and the second fluid phase is the other of the gasphase and the liquid phase.

114. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-112, wherein the first fluid phase is a first liquidphase and the second fluid phase is a second liquid phase.

115. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 114, wherein the firstliquid phase and the second liquid phase are immiscible.

116. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-115, wherein:

the fluid inlet is a first fluid inlet and the feed stream is a firstfeed stream and the vessel comprises a second fluid inlet to receive asecond feed stream including a feed for the second fluid phase to becontacted with the first fluid phase in the internal volume of thevessel. Optionally, the fluid treating system comprises a source for thesecond feed stream fluidly interconnected with the second fluid inlet.

117. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 116,wherein:

the fluid outlet is a first fluid outlet and the process effluent streamis a first process effluent stream, and the vessel comprises a secondfluid outlet to output a second process effluent stream including aneffluent of the first fluid phase depleted in the material to betransferred.

118. A fluid treating system as recited in example 117, wherein thefirst fluid phase is a gas phase and the second fluid phase is a liquidphase.

119. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 118, wherein the fluidtreating system is a carbon dioxide capture system for capturing carbondioxide from the a carbon dioxide-containing gas mixture involvingcontact of the gas mixture with an amine-based scrubbing solution; andfurther wherein:

the vessel is a packed scrubbing vessel;

the first fluid inlet is a gas inlet and the first feed stream is a feedstream of the gas mixture to the scrubbing vessel with carbon dioxidefor removal in an internal volume of the scrubbing vessel;

a the second fluid outlet is a gas outlet and the second processeffluent stream is a treated stream of the gas mixture from the internalvolume of the scrubbing vessel having a lower carbon dioxideconcentration than the feed stream of the gas mixture to the scrubbingvessel;

the second fluid inlet is a liquid inlet and the second feed stream is afeed stream of said scrubbing solution for processing in the internalvolume of the scrubbing vessel to contact the gas mixture to removecarbon dioxide from the gas mixture for capture in the scrubbingsolution;

the second fluid outlet is a liquid outlet and the second processeffluent stream is an effluent stream of rich said scrubbing solutionfrom the internal volume of the scrubbing vessel, the rich saidscrubbing solution having captured carbon dioxide removed from the gasmixture;

the flow axis extends in a direction along the scrubbing vessel from alocation corresponding with the gas inlet to a distant locationcorresponding with the gas outlet; and

the contactor unit is a gas-liquid contactor unit disposed along theflow axis between the gas inlet and the gas outlet and between theliquid inlet and the liquid outlet.

120. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 119,wherein the amine-based scrubbing solution comprises at least one aminecompound.

121. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 120,wherein the feed stream of the scrubbing solution comprises the at leastone amine compound at a concentration in a range having a lower limit of10 weight percent, 15 weight percent, 20 weight percent, 25 weightpercent and 30 weight percent and an upper limit of 70 weight percent,60 weight percent, 50 weight percent, 45 weight percent, 45 weightpercent, 40 weight percent or 35 weight percent; with one preferredrange being from 15 weight percent to 40 weight percent.

122. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 120 or example combination 121, wherein the at least oneamine compound comprises at least one compound selected from the groupconsisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, N-methylethanolamine,diisopropanolamine, aminoethoxyethanol (diglycolamine),2-amino-2-methylpropanol, methyl diethanolamine, benzylamine, asubstituted benzylamine and piperazine.

123. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 122,wherein the at least one amine compound comprises at least two compoundsselected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine,N-methylethanolamine, diisopropanolamine, aminoethoxyethanol(diglycolamine), 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, methyl diethanolamine,benzylamine, a substituted benzylamine and piperazine.

124. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 119-123, wherein the amine-based scrubbing solution is anaqueous solution, with water present in the largest molar concentration.

125. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 119-124, comprising the amine-based scrubbing solutionflowing through the flow voids in the internal volume of the scrubbingvessel.

126. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 119-125, comprising a feed stream of the heat exchangefluid being fed to the contactor unit, an effluent stream of the heatexchange fluid being removed from the contactor unit and the heatexchange fluid flowing through at least a portion of the heat exchangechannels.

127. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 126,wherein:

the heat exchange fluid is a heat exchange cooling fluid with the feedstream of the heat exchange fluid supplied to the contactor unit beingat a lower temperature than a heat exchange fluid effluent streamremoved from the contactor unit; and

the feed stream of the heat exchange fluid is at a temperature of atleast 0° C., 5° C., 10° C. or 15° C. In some contemplatedimplementations, the temperature of the feed stream of the heat exchangefluid is not greater than 40° C., 35° C., 30° C., 25° C., 20° C. or 15°C., provided that the upper limit is selected to be larger than thelower limit.

128. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 127,wherein the effluent stream of the heat exchange fluid is in a rangehaving a lower limit of 30° C., 35° C., 40° C., 45° C. or 50° C. and anupper limit of 80° C., 70° C., 60° C., 55° C., 50° C. and 45° C.

129. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 119-128, comprising a combustion flue gas source fluidlyinterconnected with the gas inlet and wherein the feed of the gasmixture comprises dehumidified combustion flue gas, optionally at apressure of no larger than 5 bars or even lower, and optionallyincluding a minimum and/or maximum concentration of oxygen gas asdisclosed above.

130. A flue gas treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 1-113 wherein the fluid outlet is a first fluid outlet andthe process effluent stream is a first process effluent stream, and thevessel comprises a second fluid outlet to output a second processeffluent stream including an effluent stream including the first fluidphase depleted in the material to be transferred.

131. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 130, wherein the fluidtreating system is a regeneration system for regenerating amine-basedscrubbing solution for carbon dioxide capture from a gas mixture; andfurther wherein:

the vessel is a stripping vessel;

the feed stream comprises rich said amine-based scrubbing solution asthe first fluid phase having captured carbon dioxide for removal in theinternal volume of the stripping vessel;

the first fluid outlet is a gas outlet and the first process effluentstream includes as the second fluid phase a purified carbon dioxide gasstream including carbon dioxide transferred from the first fluid phasein the internal volume;

the second fluid outlet is a liquid outlet and the second processeffluent stream comprises an effluent stream of lean said scrubbingsolution having a reduced carbon dioxide content than the rich saidscrubbing solution of the feed stream;

the contactor unit is disposed along the flow axis between the firstfluid outlet and the second fluid outlet.

132. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 131,wherein the amine-based scrubbing solution of the feed stream comprisesat least one amine compound.

133. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 132,wherein the feed stream comprises the at least one amine compound at aconcentration in a range having a lower limit of 10 weight percent, 15weight percent, 20 weight percent, 25 weight percent and 30 weightpercent and an upper limit of 70 weight percent, 60 weight percent, 50weight percent, 45 weight percent, 45 weight percent, 40 weight percentor 35 weight percent; with one preferred range being from 15 weightpercent to 40 weight percent.

134. A fluid treating system as recited in either one of examplecombination 132 or example combination 133, wherein the at least oneamine compound comprises at least one compound selected from the groupconsisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, N-methylethanolamine,diisopropanolamine, aminoethoxyethanol (diglycolamine),2-amino-2-methylpropanol, methyl diethanolamine, benzylamine, asubstituted benzylamine and piperazine.

135. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 134,wherein the at least one amine compound comprises at least two compoundsselected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine,N-methylethanolamine, diisopropanolamine, aminoethoxyethanol(diglycolamine), 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, methyl diethanolamine,benzylamine, a substituted benzylamine and piperazine.

136. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 131-135, wherein the feed stream is an aqueous solution,with water present in the largest molar concentration.

137. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 131-136, comprising the amine-based scrubbing solution andreleased carbon dioxide gas flowing through the flow voids in theinternal volume of the stripping vessel.

138. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 131-137, comprising a feed stream of the heat exchangefluid being fed to the contactor unit, an effluent stream of the heatexchange fluid being removed from the contactor unit and the heatexchange fluid flowing through at least a portion of the heat exchangechannels.

139. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 138,wherein:

the heat exchange fluid is a heat exchange heating fluid with the feedstream of the heat exchange fluid supplied to the contactor unit beingat a higher temperature than a heat exchange fluid effluent streamremoved from the contactor unit.

140. A fluid treating system as recited in example combination 139,wherein the feed stream of the heat exchange fluid is at a temperatureof at least 100° C.

141. A fluid treating system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 131-140, comprising a carbon dioxide scrubbing vesselfluidly interconnected with the fluid inlet of the stripping vessel toprovide the rich said scrubbing solution for the feed stream to thefluid inlet.

142. A fluid mass transfer contactor unit for disposition in an internalvolume of a process vessel along a flow axis of the process vessel tocontact the process fluids moving through the internal volume tofacilitate mass transfer of the material from a first fluid phase to asecond fluid phase, the contactor unit comprising:

a longitudinally-extending flow axis to align with a vessel flow axis ofa process vessel when disposed in a process vessel for a fluid treatingoperation;

a contactor network of flow diversion barriers with flow voids formovement of the process fluids between the flow diversion barriers;

a plurality of heat exchange channels in the flow diversion barrierswithin the flow diversion barriers of the contactor network to transportheat exchange fluid through the contactor network to heat or cool theprocess fluids moving through the flow voids during a fluid treatingoperation;

at least one heat exchange feed channel to deliver feed of the heatexchange fluid to the heat exchange channels, wherein the heat exchangefeed channel extends in a direction of the flow axis and is fluidlyconnected with the heat exchange channels at multiple feed locationsspaced along the flow axis to input the feed of the heat exchange fluidinto multiple different locations in the contactor network along theflow axis.

143. A fluid mass transfer contactor unit as recited in examplecombination 142, wherein the flow axis extends in a direction of flow ofthe process fluids through the contactor network from a process fluidinlet side to a process fluid outlet side of the contactor network.

144. A fluid mass transfer contactor unit as recited in either one ofexample combination 142 or example combination 143, comprising anyfeatures of any said contactor unit as recited in any of examplecombinations 1-101.

145. A method for treating a fluid for mass transfer between fluidphases in process fluids, the method comprising;

inputting a feed stream of a first process fluid into an interior volumeof a process vessel, the first process fluid including at least a firstfluid phase with material to be transferred to a second fluid phase inthe internal volume, the vessel including a fluid mass transfercontactor unit disposed in the interior volume to facilitate masstransfer of the material from the first fluid phase to the second fluidphase, the contactor unit disposed along a flow axis of the vessel,wherein the flow axis extends in a longitudinal direction along thevessel away from a location where the feed stream of the first processfluid is inputted into the interior volume, and wherein the contactorunit comprises:

-   -   a contactor network of flow diversion barriers with flow voids        for movement of the process fluids between the flow diversion        barriers:    -   a plurality of heat exchange channels in the flow diversion        barriers to transport heat exchange fluid through the contactor        network to heat or cool the process fluids moving through the        flow voids during a fluid treating operation; and    -   at least one heat exchange feed channel to deliver feed of the        heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange channels, wherein the        heat exchange feed channel extends in a direction of the flow        axis and is fluidly connected with the heat exchange channels at        multiple feed locations spaced along the flow axis to input the        feed of the heat exchange fluid into multiple different        locations in the contactor network along the flow axis;

contacting process fluids including the first fluid phase moving throughthe flow voids with the flow diversion barriers and transferring atleast a portion of the material to be transferred from the first fluidphase to the second fluid phase;

during the contacting, heating or cooling the process fluids flowingthrough at least a portion the flow voids, the heating or cooling theprocess fluids comprising:

-   -   providing a feed stream of the heat exchange fluid to the        contactor unit;    -   delivering at least a portion of the heat exchange fluid from        the feed stream of the heat exchange fluid as the feed of the        heat exchange fluid to the at least one heat exchange feed        channel and from the at least one heat exchange feed channel        through the multiple feed locations into the heat exchange        channels; and    -   removing from the contactor unit an effluent stream of the heat        exchange fluid including an effluent of the heat exchange fluid        from the heat exchange channels; and

outputting a process effluent stream from the interior volume of thevessel, the process effluent stream including the second fluid phaseincluding transferred material from the first fluid phase.

146. A method as recited in example combination 145, wherein thecontactor unit is as recited in, or the method is practiced using thefeatures of the contactor unit as recited in, any of examplecombinations 1-101 and 142-143.

147. A method as recited in either one of example combination 145 orexample combination 146, wherein the vessel is as recited in any ofexample combinations 1-141, or the method is practiced using thefeatures of the vessel or the fluid treating system as recited in any ofexample combinations 1-141.

148. A method as recited in any one of claims 145-147, wherein:

the fluid treating comprises removing carbon dioxide from the firstfluid phase comprising a gas mixture and capturing in the second fluidphase carbon dioxide removed from the first fluid phase, the secondfluid phase comprising an amine-based scrubbing solution;

the vessel is a scrubbing vessel and the contactor unit is a gas-liquidcontactor unit;

the feed stream is a first feed stream and comprises feed of the gasmixture with carbon dioxide for removal from the gas mixture in theinternal volume of the scrubbing vessel;

the process effluent stream is a first process effluent stream andcomprises a rich said scrubbing solution having captured carbon dioxideremoved from the gas mixture in the internal volume:

and the method comprises:

inputting a second feed stream into the interior volume, the second feedstream comprising a lean said scrubbing solution having a lowerconcentration of carbon dioxide than the rich said scrubbing solution;and

outputting a second process effluent stream comprising a treated streamof the gas mixture from the internal volume having a lower carbondioxide concentration than in the first feed steam.

149. A method as recited in example combination 148, wherein theamine-based scrubbing solution comprises at least one amine compound.

150. A method as recited in example combination 149, wherein the secondfeed stream comprises the at least one amine compound at a concentrationin a range having a lower limit of 10 weight percent, 15 weight percent,20 weight percent, 25 weight percent and 30 weight percent and an upperlimit of 70 weight percent, 60 weight percent, 50 weight percent, 45weight percent, 45 weight percent, 40 weight percent or 35 weightpercent; with one preferred range being from 15 weight percent to 40weight percent.

151. A method as recited in either one of example combination 149 orexample combination 150, wherein the at least one amine compoundcomprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting ofmonoethanolamine, diethanolamine, N-methylethanolamine,diisopropanolamine, aminoethoxyethanol (diglycolamine),2-amino-2-methylpropanol, methyl diethanolamine, benzylamine, asubstituted benzylamine and piperazine.

152. A method as recited in example combination 151, wherein the atleast one amine compound comprises at least two compounds selected fromthe group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine,N-methylethanolamine, diisopropanolamine, aminoethoxyethanol(diglycolamine), 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, methyl diethanolamine,benzylamine, a substituted benzylamine and piperazine.

153. A method as recited in any one of example combinations 148-152,wherein the second feed stream is an aqueous solution, with waterpresent in the largest molar concentration.

154. A method as recited in any one of example combinations 148-153,wherein:

the heat exchange fluid is a heat exchange cooling fluid with the feedstream of the heat exchange fluid supplied to the contactor unit is at alower temperature than a heat exchange fluid effluent stream removedfrom the contactor unit.

155. A method as recited in any one of example combinations 148-154,wherein the feed stream of the heat exchange fluid is at a temperatureof at least 0° C., 5° C., 10° C. or 15° C. In some contemplatedimplementations, the temperature of the feed stream of the heat exchangefluid is not greater than 40° C., 35° C., 30° C., 25° C., 20° C. or 15°C., provided that the upper limit is selected to be larger than thelower limit.

156. A method as recited in any one of example combinations 148-155wherein the effluent stream of the heat exchange fluid is in a rangehaving a lower limit of 30° C., 35° C., 40° C., 45° C. or 50° C. and anupper limit of 80° C., 70° C., 60° C., 55° C., 50° C. and 45° C.

157. A method as recited in any one of example combinations 148-156,wherein first feed stream comprises a combustion flue gas, optionally adehumidified combustion flue gas, optionally at a pressure of no largerthan 5 bars or even lower, and optionally including a minimum and/ormaximum concentration of oxygen gas as disclosed above.

158. A method as recited in any one of example combinations 145-147,wherein:

the fluid treating comprises regenerating amine-based scrubbing solutionfor carbon dioxide capture from a gas mixture, with the first fluidphase comprising the scrubbing solution and with the second fluid phasecomprising carbon dioxide released from the scrubbing solution in theinternal volume:

the vessel is a stripping vessel;

the feed stream comprises rich said amine-based scrubbing solutionhaving captured carbon dioxide for removal in the internal volume of thestripping vessel;

the process effluent stream is a first process effluent streamcomprising a purified carbon dioxide gas stream including carbon dioxidetransferred from the first fluid phase in the internal volume;

and the method comprises:

outputing a second process effluent stream comprising lean saidscrubbing solution having a reduced carbon dioxide content than the richsaid scrubbing solution.

159. A method as recited in example combination 158, wherein the feedstream comprises at least one amine compound.

160. A method as recited in example combination 159, wherein the feedstream comprises the at least one amine compound at a concentration in arange having a lower limit of 10 weight percent, 15 weight percent, 20weight percent, 25 weight percent and 30 weight percent and an upperlimit of 70 weight percent, 60 weight percent, 50 weight percent, 45weight percent, 45 weight percent, 40 weight percent or 35 weightpercent; with one preferred range being from 15 weight percent to 40weight percent.

161. A method as recited in either one of example combination 159 orexample combination 160, wherein the at least one amine compoundcomprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting ofmonoethanolamine, diethanolamine, N-methylethanolamine,diisopropanolamine, aminoethoxyethanol (diglycolamine),2-amino-2-methylpropanol, methyl diethanolamine, benzylamine, asubstituted benzylamine and piperazine.

162. A method as recited in example combination 161, wherein the atleast one amine compound comprises at least two compounds selected fromthe group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine,N-methylethanolamine, diisopropanolamine, aminoethoxyethanol(diglycolamine), 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, methyl diethanolamine,benzylamine, a substituted benzylamine and piperazine.

163. A method as recited in any one of example combinations 158-162,wherein the feed stream is an aqueous solution, with water present inthe largest molar concentration.

164. A method as recited in example combination 163, wherein:

the heat exchange fluid is a heat exchange heating fluid with the feedstream of the heat exchange fluid supplied to the contactor unit beingat a higher temperature than a heat exchange fluid effluent streamremoved from the contactor unit.

165. A method as recited in example combination 164, wherein the feedstream of the heat exchange fluid is at a temperature of at least 100°C.

166. A carbon dioxide capture system for capturing carbon dioxide from acarbon dioxide-containing gas mixture involving contact of the gasmixture with an amine-based scrubbing solution, the system comprising apacked scrubbing vessel including:

a gas inlet to receive a feed stream of the gas mixture to the scrubbingvessel with carbon dioxide for removal in an internal volume of thescrubbing vessel;

a gas outlet to output a treated stream of the gas mixture from theinternal volume of the scrubbing vessel having a lower carbon dioxideconcentration than the feed stream of the gas mixture to the scrubbingunit;

a liquid inlet to receive a feed stream of said scrubbing solution forprocessing in the internal volume of the scrubbing vessel to contact thegas mixture to remove carbon dioxide from the gas mixture for capture inthe scrubbing solution;

a liquid outlet to output an effluent stream of rich said scrubbingsolution from the internal volume of the scrubbing vessel, the rich saidscrubbing solution having captured carbon dioxide removed from the gasmixture;

a flow axis extending in a direction along the scrubbing vessel from alocation corresponding with the gas inlet to a distant locationcorresponding with the gas outlet;

a gas-liquid contactor unit disposed along the flow axis between the gasinlet and the gas outlet and between the liquid inlet and the liquidoutlet and including a contactor network of flow diversion barriers withflow voids for movement of process fluids including the gas mixture andscrubbing solution between the flow diversion barriers, the contactorunit comprising:

a plurality of heat exchange channels in the flow diversion barriers totransport heat exchange cooling fluid through the contactor network tocool the process fluids moving through the flow voids during a carbondioxide scrubbing operation;

at least one heat exchange feed channel to deliver feed of the heatexchange cooling fluid to the heat exchange channels, wherein the heatexchange feed channel extends in a direction of the flow axis and isfluidly connected with the heat exchange channels at multiple feedlocations spaced along the flow axis to input the feed of the heatexchange cooling fluid into multiple different locations in thecontactor network along the flow axis.

167. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination166, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises at least one heat exchange collectionchannel to collect effluent of the heat exchange cooling fluid from theheat exchange channels; and

the heat exchange collection channel extends in a direction of the flowaxis and is fluidly connected with the heat exchange channels atmultiple collection locations spaced along the flow axis to receive theeffluent of the heat exchange cooling fluid from multiple differentlocations in the contactor network along the flow axis.

168. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination167, wherein:

the feed of the heat exchange cooling fluid is a first feed of the heatexchange fluid and the multiple feed locations of a first said heatexchange feed channel are first feed locations located to input thefirst feed of the heat exchange cooling fluid in the heat exchangechannels in a first portion of contactor the network disposed along afirst longitudinal portion of the flow axis; and

the contactor unit comprises at least one heat exchange bypass channelextending in a heat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axispast the first longitudinal portion of the flow axis in the firstportion of the contactor network to provide at least a second feed ofthe heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange channels in a secondportion of the network located along a second longitudinal portion ofthe flow axis downstream of the first longitudinal portion of the flowaxis relative to the heat exchange fluid flow direction.

169. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination168, wherein at least a portion of the heat exchange channels havingcorresponding said first feed locations in the first portion of thecontactor network are fluidly cross-connected downstream of theircorresponding said first feed locations.

170. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination168 or example combination 169, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a second said heat exchange feed channel todeliver said second feed of the heat exchange fluid from a first portionof said heat exchange bypass channel to the heat exchange channels inthe second portion of the contactor network, wherein the second saidheat exchange feed channel extends in a direction of the flow axis andis fluidly interconnected with the heat exchange channels in the secondportion of the contactor network at multiple second feed locationsspaced along the flow axis to input the second feed of the heat exchangefluid from the first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel intomultiple different locations in the second portion of the contactnetwork along the flow axis.

171. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination170, wherein at least a portion of the heat exchange channels havingcorresponding said second feed locations in the second portion of thecontactor network are fluidly cross-connected downstream of theircorresponding said second feed locations.

172. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination170 or example combination 171, wherein the heat exchange channelshaving corresponding said first feed locations in the first portion ofthe contactor network and the heat exchange channels havingcorresponding said second feed locations in the second portion of thecontactor network are not fluidly cross-connected in the contactornetwork.

173. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 170-172, wherein:

the multiple collection locations are first collection locations and theeffluent of the heat exchange cooling fluid is a first effluent of theheat exchange cooling fluid received from multiple different locationsin the first portion of the contactor network into a first portion ofsaid heat exchange collection channel; and

a second portion of said heat exchange collection channel is locateddownstream in the heat exchange cooling fluid flow direction along theflow axis from the first portion of the heat exchange collection channeland is fluidly connected with the heat exchange channels havingcorresponding feed locations in the second portion of the contactornetwork at multiple second collection locations spaced along the flowaxis to receive a second effluent of the heat exchange cooling fluidfrom multiple different locations in the second portion of the contactornetwork along the flow axis.

174. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination173, wherein:

the first said heat exchange feed channel, the first portion of thecontactor network, said first feed locations, and said first portion ofthe heat exchange collection channel are provided in a first contactmodule of the contactor unit;

the second said heat exchange feed channel, the second portion of thecontactor network, said second feed locations, and said second portionof the heat exchange collection channel are provided in a second contactmodule of the contactor unit; and

the first contact module and the second contact module are fluidlyinterconnectable and disconnectable through interfacing ends thereof

175. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination174, wherein:

the first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel is provided in thefirst contact module.

176. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination175, wherein:

the interfacing ends of the first contact module and second contactmodule are adapted to, or the contactor unit comprises at least oneintermediate flow control member interposed between the interfacing endsof the first contact module and the second contact module configured to:

-   -   permit or block the flow of the second feed of the heat exchange        fluid from the first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel        to the second said heat exchange feed channel; and,    -   permit the flow of the first effluent from the first portion of        the heat exchange collection channel to the second portion of        the heat exchange collection channel.

177. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination176, wherein:

the contactor unit comprises a third said heat exchange feed channel todeliver a third feed of the heat exchange fluid from a second portion ofsaid heat exchange bypass channel to the heat exchange channels in athird portion of the contactor network located along a thirdlongitudinal portion of the flow axis downstream of the secondlongitudinal portion of the flow axis relative to the heat exchangefluid flow direction, wherein the third said heat exchange feed channelextends in a direction of the flow axis and is fluidly interconnectedwith the heat exchange channels in the third portion of the contactornetwork at multiple third feed locations spaced along the flow axis toinput the third feed of the heat exchange fluid from the second portionof the heat exchange bypass channel into multiple different locations inthe third portion of the contact network along the flow axis; and,

the second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel is provided inthe second contact module.

178. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination177, wherein the interfacing ends of the first contact module and secondcontact module are further adapted to, or a first said intermediate flowcontrol member is configured to:

permit or block the flow of the third feed of the heat exchange fluidfrom the first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel to the secondportion of the heat exchange bypass channel.

179. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination178, wherein:

the first portion of the heat exchange bypass channel includes an inletport to receive the second feed of the heat exchange fluid, a firstoutlet port to deliver the second feed of the heat exchange fluid to aninlet port of said second said heat exchange feed channel, and a secondoutlet port to deliver the third feed of the heat exchange fluid to aninlet port of the second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel;and,

the first portion of the heat exchange collection channel includes anoutlet port to deliver the first effluent to an inlet port of the secondportion of the heat exchange collection channel.

180. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination179, wherein:

the first outlet port of the first portion of the heat exchange bypasschannel, the second outlet port of the first portion of the heatexchange bypass channel, and the outlet port of the first portion of theheat exchange collection channel are each located at an outletinterfacing end of the first contact module; and,

the inlet port of the second portion of the heat exchange bypasschannel, the inlet port of said second said heat exchange feed channel,and the inlet port of the second portion of the heat exchange collectionchannel are each located at an inlet interfacing end of the secondcontact module.

181. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination180, wherein:

one of the outlet interfacing end of the first contact module and inletinterfacing end of the second contact module comprises a plurality ofmale members and the other comprises a complementary plurality of femalemembers for receiving the plurality of male members.

182. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination181, wherein:

the plurality of male members and the complementary plurality of femalemembers are configured to:

-   -   permit or block the flow of the second feed of the heat exchange        fluid therethrough from the first outlet port of the first        portion of the heat exchange bypass channel to the inlet port of        said second said heat exchange feed channel;    -   permit or block the flow of the third feed of the heat exchange        fluid therethrough from the second outlet port of the first        portion of the heat exchange bypass portion to the inlet port of        the second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel; and,    -   permit the flow of the first effluent therethrough form the        outlet port of the first portion of the heat exchange collection        channel to the inlet port of the second portion of the heat        exchange collection channel.

183. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination180, comprising the first intermediate flow control member and wherein:

the first said intermediate flow control member is configured to fluidlyinterconnect and disconnect to and between the outlet interfacing end ofthe first contact module and inlet interfacing end of the second contactmodule.

184. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination183, wherein:

the first said intermediate flow control member is configured to:

-   -   permit or block the flow of the second feed of the heat exchange        fluid therethrough from the first outlet port of the first        portion of the heat exchange bypass channel to the inlet port of        said second said heat exchange feed channel;    -   permit or block the flow of the third feed of the heat exchange        fluid therethrough from the second outlet port of the first        portion of the heat exchange bypass portion to the inlet port of        the second portion of the heat exchange bypass channel; and,    -   permit the flow of the first effluent therethrough form the        outlet port of the first portion of the heat exchange collection        channel to the inlet port of the second portion of the heat        exchange collection channel.

185. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 178-184, wherein a third portion of said heat exchangecollection channel is located downstream in the heat exchange coolingfluid flow direction along the flow axis from the second portion of theheat exchange collection channel and is fluidly connected with the heatexchange channels in the third portion of the contactor network atmultiple third collection locations spaced along the flow axis toreceive third effluent of the third feed of the heat exchange coolingfluid from multiple different locations in the third portion of thecontactor network along the flow axis.

186. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 178-185, comprising the third said heat exchange feedchannel, the third portion of the contactor network and said third feedlocations recited in example combination 177 and the third portion ofsaid heat exchange collection channel recited in example combination185, wherein:

the third said heat exchange feed channel, the third portion of thecontactor network, said third feed locations, and said third portion ofthe heat exchange collection channel are provided in a third contactmodule; and,

the second contact module and the third contact module are fluidlyinterconnectable and disconnectable through interfacing ends thereof.

187. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 167-186, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange feed channel is located in an outerregion of the contactor unit; and,

the plurality of heat exchange channels are located in an inner regionof the contactor unit.

188. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination187, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange feed channel extends about and along atleast a portion of the inner region of the contactor unit.

189. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination188, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange feed channel spirals about and along atleast a portion of the inner region of the contactor unit.

190. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 187-189, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange collection channel is located in an outerregion of the contactor unit.

191. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination190, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange collection channel extends about andalong at least a portion of the inner region of the contactor unit.

192. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination190, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange collection channel spirals about andalong at least a portion of the inner region of the contactor unit.

193. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in any one of examplecombinations 187-192 comprising the at least one heat exchange bypasschannel of claim 168, and wherein:

the at least one heat exchange bypass channel is located in the outerregion of the contactor unit.

194. A carbon dioxide capture system as recited in example combination193, wherein:

the at least one heat exchange bypass channel extends linearly along theinner region of the contactor unit.

The foregoing description of the present invention has been presentedfor purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, thedescription is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosedherein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with theabove teachings, and skill and knowledge of the relevant art, are withinthe scope of the present invention. The embodiments describedhereinabove are further intended to explain known modes of practicingthe invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize theinvention in such or other embodiments and with various modificationsrequired by the particular application(s) or use(s) of the presentinvention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed toinclude alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the priorart.

The description of a feature or features in a particular combination donot exclude the inclusion of an additional feature or features in avariation of the particular combination. Processing steps and sequencingare for illustration only, and such illustrations do not excludeinclusion of other steps or other sequencing of steps. Additional stepsmay be included between any illustrated processing steps or before orafter any illustrated processing step.

The terms “comprising”, “containing”, “including” and “having”, andgrammatical variations of those terms, are intended to be inclusive andnonlimiting in that the use of such terms indicates the presence of astated condition or feature, but not to the exclusion of the presencealso of any other condition or feature. The use of the terms“comprising”, “containing”, “including” and “having”, and grammaticalvariations of those terms in referring to the presence of one or morecomponents, subcomponents or materials, also include and is intended todisclose the more specific embodiments in which the term “comprising”,“containing”, “including” or “having” (or the variation of such term) asthe case may be, is replaced by any of the narrower terms “consistingessentially of” or “consisting of” or “consisting of only” (or anyappropriate grammatical variation of such narrower terms). For example,a statement that something “comprises” a stated element or elements isalso intended to include and disclose the more specific narrowerembodiments of the thing “consisting essentially of” the stated elementor elements, and the thing “consisting of” the stated element orelements. Examples of various features have been provided for purposesof illustration, and the terms “example”, “for example” and the likeindicate illustrative examples that are not limiting and are not to beconstrued or interpreted as limiting a feature or features to anyparticular example. The term “at least” followed by a number (e.g., “atleast one”) means that number or more than that number. The term at “atleast a portion” means all or a portion that is less than all. The term“at least a part” means all or a part that is less than all. Pressuresas stated herein are absolute pressures (not gauge pressures), unlessotherwise specifically stated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A carbon dioxide capture system for capturingcarbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide-containing gas mixture involvingcontact of the gas mixture with an amine-based scrubbing solution, thesystem comprising a packed scrubbing vessel including: a gas inlet toreceive a feed stream of the gas mixture to the scrubbing vessel withcarbon dioxide for removal in an internal volume of the scrubbingvessel; a gas outlet to output a treated stream of the gas mixture fromthe internal volume of the scrubbing vessel having a lower carbondioxide concentration than the feed stream of the gas mixture to thescrubbing unit; a liquid inlet to receive a feed stream of saidscrubbing solution for processing in the internal volume of thescrubbing vessel to contact the gas mixture to remove carbon dioxidefrom the gas mixture for capture in the scrubbing solution; a liquidoutlet to output an effluent stream of rich said scrubbing solution fromthe internal volume of the scrubbing vessel, the rich said scrubbingsolution having captured carbon dioxide removed from the gas mixture; aflow axis extending in a direction along the scrubbing vessel from alocation corresponding with the gas inlet to a distant locationcorresponding with the gas outlet; a gas-liquid contactor unit disposedin the internal volume along the flow axis between the gas inlet and thegas outlet and between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet andincluding a contactor network of flow diversion barriers with flow voidsfor movement of process fluids including the gas mixture and scrubbingsolution between the flow diversion barriers, the contactor unitcomprising: a plurality of heat exchange channels in the flow diversionbarriers to transport heat exchange cooling fluid through the contactornetwork to cool the process fluids moving through the flow voids duringa carbon dioxide scrubbing operation; at least one heat exchange feedchannel to deliver feed of the heat exchange cooling fluid to the heatexchange channels, wherein the heat exchange feed channel extends in adirection of the flow axis and is fluidly connected with the heatexchange channels at multiple feed locations spaced along the flow axisto input the feed of the heat exchange cooling fluid into multipledifferent locations in the contactor network along the flow axis.
 2. Afluid treating system as recited in claim 1, wherein walls of at least aportion of the heat exchange channels in the flow diversion barriers areconstructed of a material of construction; and the material ofconstruction is a filled polymeric material comprising a polymericmatrix and particles of filler dispersed by the polymeric matrix,wherein the filler as a higher thermal conductivity than the polymericmatrix.
 3. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 1, wherein: thecontactor unit comprises: multiple contact modules arranged in seriesalong the flow axis for series flow of the heat exchange fluid throughthe contact modules in a heat exchange fluid flow direction along theflow axis, with adjacent contact modules in the series being fluidlyinterconnectable and disconnectable through interfacing ends thereof;optionally, at least one intermediate flow control member interposedbetween the interfacing ends of adjacent ones of the contact modules;and optionally, at least one heat exchange bypass channel to bypass aportion of the contactor network and the heat exchange channels thereinto a downstream location in the heat exchange fluid flow direction alongthe flow axis; the feed of the heat exchange fluid is a first feed ofthe heat exchange fluid and the multiple feed locations are first feedlocations located to input the first feed of the heat exchange fluid inthe heat exchange channels in a first portion of contactor networkdisposed along a first longitudinal portion of the flow axis; the firstfeed locations and the first portion of the contactor network are in asaid first contact module; the contactor unit comprises a second saidcontact module comprising a second portion of the contactor networklocated along a second longitudinal portion of the flow axis downstreamof the first longitudinal portion of the flow axis in the heat exchangefluid flow direction along the flow axis; the second contact modulecomprises multiple second feed locations spaced along the secondlongitudinal portion of the flow axis to input second feed of the heatexchange fluid into multiple different locations in the second portionof the contactor network along the second longitudinal portion of theflow axis; and the first contact module and the second contact moduleare fluidly interconnectable and disconnectable through the interfacingends thereof, and with the first contact module and the second contactmodule fluidly interconnected the contactor unit is configured totransmit the second feed from the first contact module to the secondcontact module outside of the contactor network to feed the second feedlocations in the second contact module.
 4. A fluid treating system asrecited in claim 3, wherein: at least a portion of the heat exchangechannels having corresponding said first feed locations in the firstportion of the contactor network are fluidly cross-connected within thefirst portion of the contactor network downstream of their correspondingsaid first feed locations; at least a portion of the heat exchangechannels having corresponding said second feed locations in the secondportion of the contactor network are fluidly cross-connected within thesecond portion of the contactor network downstream of theircorresponding said first feed locations; and the heat exchange channelshaving corresponding said first feed locations in the first portion ofthe contactor network are not fluidly cross-connected within thecontactor network with the heat exchange channels having correspondingsaid second feed locations in the second portion of the contactornetwork.
 5. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 3, wherein theinterfacing ends of the first contact module and the second contactmodule are adapted to, or a said intermediate flow control memberinterposed between the interfacing ends of the first contact module andthe second contact module is configured to: permit the flow of thesecond feed of the heat exchange fluid from the first contact module tothe second contact module to feed the second feed locations.
 6. A fluidtreating system as recited in claim 4, wherein: the contactor unitcomprises at least one heat exchange collection channel to collecteffluent of the heat exchange fluid from the heat exchange channels; andthe heat exchange collection channel extends in a direction of the flowaxis and is fluidly connected with the heat exchange channels atmultiple collection locations spaced along the flow axis to receive theeffluent of the heat exchange fluid from multiple different locations inthe contactor network along the flow axis; the multiple collectionlocations are first collection locations in the first contact module andthe effluent of the heat exchange fluid is a first effluent of the heatexchange fluid received from multiple different locations in the firstportion of the contactor network into a first portion of said heatexchange collection channel in the first contact module; and a secondportion of the said heat exchange collection channel is located in thesecond contact module downstream in the heat exchange fluid flowdirection along the flow axis from the first portion of the said heatexchange collection channel and is fluidly connected with the heatexchange channels having corresponding feed locations in the secondportion of the contactor network at multiple second collection locationsspaced along the second longitudinal portion of the flow axis in thesecond contact module to receive a second effluent of the heat exchangefluid from multiple different locations in the second portion of thecontactor network along the second longitudinal portion of the flowaxis.
 7. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 1, wherein a saidheat exchange feed channel feeds a corresponding said multiple feedlocations including at least 10 of said feed locations, and optionallyin a range with an upper limit of 10,000 of the said multiple feedlocations.
 8. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 7, wherein aplurality of said feed locations of the corresponding said multiple feedlocations are located at different radial positions about the flow axis.9. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 7, wherein: the said heatexchange feed channel has a first minimum cross-sectional area for flowlocated upstream of a first said feed location along the flow axis ofthe corresponding said multiple feed locations fed by the correspondingsaid heat exchange feed channel; each said heat exchange channel fed bythe said heat exchange feed channel through the corresponding saidmultiple feed locations has a second minimum cross-sectional area forflow; and a ratio of the first minimum cross-sectional area for flow tothe second minimum cross-sectional area for flow is at least 5:1, andoptionally in a range with an upper limit of 10,000:1.
 10. A fluidtreating system as recited in claim 9, wherein: the first said feedlocation is spaced apart by at least 10 centimeters, along the flow axisfrom a last said feed location along the flow axis of the correspondingsaid multiple feed locations fed by the corresponding said heat exchangefeed channel, and optionally this spacing distance along the flow axisis in a range with an upper limit of 10 meters; and the correspondingsaid multiple feed locations comprises a density of the said feedlocations per decimeter of length of the flow axis between the firstsaid feed location and the last said feed location of at least 4 of thesaid feed locations per decimeter of length of the flow axis between thefirst said feed location and the last said feed location, and optionallythe density is in a range with an upper limit of 200 of the said feedlocations per decimeter of length of the flow axis between the firstsaid feed location and the last said feed location.
 11. A fluid treatingsystem as recited in claim 9, wherein the second minimum cross-sectionalarea for flow is in a range of from 2 square millimeters to 2500 squaremillimeters.
 12. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 9, wherein:the contactor unit comprises at least one heat exchange collectionchannel to collect effluent of the heat exchange fluid from the heatexchange channels; and the heat exchange collection channel extends in adirection of the flow axis and is fluidly connected with the heatexchange channels at multiple collection locations spaced along the flowaxis to receive the effluent of the heat exchange fluid from multipledifferent locations in the contactor network along the flow axis.
 13. Afluid treating system as recited in claim 12, wherein: a said heatexchange collection channel collects a said effluent of the heatexchange fluid from a corresponding said multiple collection locationsthat correspond to the corresponding said multiple feed locations, thecorresponding said multiple collection locations include at least 10 ofsaid collection locations; the said heat exchange collection channel hasa third cross-sectional area for flow downstream of a last saidcollection location of the corresponding multiple said collectionlocations; and a ratio of the third minimum cross-sectional area forflow to the second minimum cross-sectional area for flow is at least5:1.
 14. A fluid treating system as recited in claim 13, wherein: thefeed of the heat exchange fluid is a first feed of the heat exchangefluid and the multiple feed locations are first feed locations locatedto input the first feed of the heat exchange fluid in the heat exchangechannels in a first portion of contactor network in a first longitudinalportion of the contactor unit located along a first longitudinal portionof the flow axis; the contactor unit comprises a second portion of thecontactor network in a second longitudinal portion of the contactor unitlocated along a second longitudinal portion of the flow axis downstreamof the first longitudinal portion of the flow axis in the heat exchangefluid flow direction along the flow axis; the contactor unit comprisesmultiple second feed locations spaced along the second longitudinalportion of the flow axis to input second feed of the heat exchange fluidinto multiple different locations in the second portion of the contactornetwork along the second longitudinal portion of the flow axis; and thecontactor unit is configured to transmit at least the second feed fromthe first longitudinal portion of the contactor unit to the secondlongitudinal portion of the contactor unit outside of the contactornetwork to provide the second feed of the heat exchange fluid to thesecond feed locations in the second portion of the contactor unit.
 15. Afluid treating system as recited in claim 14, wherein: at least aportion of the heat exchange channels having corresponding said firstfeed locations to the first portion of the contactor network are fluidlycross-connected within the first portion of the contactor networkdownstream of their corresponding said first feed locations; at least aportion of the heat exchange channels having corresponding said secondfeed locations to the second portion of the contactor network arefluidly cross-connected within the second portion of the contactornetwork downstream of their corresponding said first feed locations; andthe heat exchange channels having corresponding said first feedlocations to the first portion of the contactor network and the heatexchange channels having corresponding said second feed locations to thesecond portion of the contactor network provide two separate heatexchange fluid flow paths through the contactor network that are notfluidly cross-connected in the contactor network.
 16. A fluid treatingsystem as recited in claim 15, wherein: the corresponding said multiplecollection locations are first collection locations in the firstlongitudinal portion of the contactor unit and the effluent of the heatexchange fluid is a first effluent of the heat exchange fluid receivedfrom multiple different locations in the first portion of the contactornetwork into a first portion of the said heat exchange collectionchannel; and a second portion of the heat exchange collection channel islocated in the second longitudinal portion of the contactor unitdownstream in the heat exchange fluid flow direction along the flow axisfrom the first portion of the said heat exchange collection channel andis fluidly connected with the heat exchange channels havingcorresponding second feed locations for the second portion of thecontactor network at multiple second collection locations spaced alongthe second longitudinal portion of the flow axis in the secondlongitudinal portion of the contactor unit to receive a second effluentof the heat exchange fluid from multiple different locations in thesecond portion of the contactor network along the second longitudinalportion of the flow axis, wherein the first and second effluents of theheat exchange fluid combine in the second portion of the said heatexchange collection channel; and the heat exchange channels havingcorresponding said first feed locations and the corresponding said firstcollection locations for the first portion of the contactor network andthe heat exchange channels having corresponding said second feedlocations and the corresponding second collection locations for thesecond portion of the contactor network provide the two separate heatexchange fluid flow paths through the contactor network to the heatexchange collection channel that are not fluidly cross-connected betweentheir respective said feed locations and said collection locations. 17.A fluid treating system as recited in claim 15, wherein: the contactorunit comprises a heat exchange input manifold fluidly interconnectedwith the first longitudinal portion of the contactor unit with the inputmanifold located along the flow axis upstream of the first saidlongitudinal portion of the contactor unit in the heat exchange fluidflow direction along the flow axis; the contactor unit is configured forinput to the contactor unit each said feed of the heat exchange fluid toeach said longitudinal portion of the contactor unit through the inputmanifold; and the input manifold is configured for input of each saidfeed of the heat exchange fluid in a combined input stream of the heatexchange fluid to the input manifold to be divided in the contactor unitinto the different said feeds of the heat exchange fluid for differentsaid portions of the contactor network in different said longitudinalportions of the contactor unit.
 18. A fluid treating system as recitedin claim 17, wherein: the input manifold comprises an input annularmember around a process fluid flow path through the input manifold andin fluid communication with the flow voids in each said longitudinalportion of the contactor unit; and the process fluid flow path throughthe input manifold includes flow openings through opposing ends of theinput annular member aligned along the flow axis with each said portionof the contactor network of each said longitudinal portion of thecontactor unit with the flow axis extending through the flow openings ofthe output annular member and through each said portion of the contactornetwork in each said longitudinal portion of the contactor unit.
 19. Afluid treating system as recited in claim 18, wherein: the contactorunit comprises a heat exchange output manifold fluidly interconnectedwith a final said longitudinal portion of the contactor unit with theoutput manifold disposed along the flow axis downstream of the finalsaid longitudinal portion of the contactor unit in the heat exchangefluid flow direction along the flow axis; the contactor unit isconfigured for output from the contactor unit of each said effluent ofthe heat exchange fluid from each said longitudinal portion of thecontactor unit through the output manifold; and the output manifold isconfigured for output of each said effluent of the heat exchange fluidin a combined output stream of the heat exchange fluid from the outputmanifold.
 20. A method for treating carbon dioxide-containing gas toremove carbon dioxide from the gas for capture in an amine-basedscrubbing solution, the method comprising; inputting a feed stream of afirst process fluid into an interior volume of a process vessel, thefirst process fluid including at least a first fluid phase that is a gasphase with carbon dioxide to be transferred to a second fluid phase inthe internal volume, wherein the second fluid phase is a liquid phase ofamine-based carbon dioxide scrubbing solution, the vessel including afluid mass transfer contactor unit disposed in the interior volume tofacilitate mass transfer of the material from the first fluid phase tothe second fluid phase, the contactor unit disposed in the interiorvolume along a flow axis of the vessel, wherein the flow axis extends ina longitudinal direction along the vessel away from a location where thefeed stream of the first process fluid is inputted into the interiorvolume, and wherein the contactor unit comprises: a contactor network offlow diversion barriers with flow voids for movement of the processfluids between the flow diversion barriers: a plurality of heat exchangechannels in the flow diversion barriers to transport heat exchange fluidthrough the contactor network to cool the process fluids moving throughthe flow voids during a fluid treating operation; and at least one heatexchange feed channel to deliver feed of the heat exchange fluid to theheat exchange channels, wherein the heat exchange feed channel extendsin a direction of the flow axis and is fluidly connected with the heatexchange channels at multiple feed locations spaced along the flow axisto input the feed of the heat exchange fluid into multiple differentlocations in the contactor network along the flow axis; contactingprocess fluids including the first fluid phase moving through the flowvoids with the flow diversion barriers and transferring at least aportion of the carbon dioxide from the first fluid phase to the secondfluid phase; during the contacting, heating or cooling the processfluids flowing through at least a portion the flow voids, the heatingthe process fluids comprising: providing a feed stream of the heatexchange fluid to the contactor unit; delivering at least a portion ofthe heat exchange fluid from the feed stream of the heat exchange fluidas the feed of the heat exchange fluid to the at least one heat exchangefeed channel and from the at least one heat exchange feed channelthrough the multiple feed locations into the heat exchange channels; andremoving from the contactor unit an effluent stream of the heat exchangefluid including an effluent of the heat exchange fluid from the heatexchange channels; and outputting a process effluent stream from theinterior volume of the vessel, the process effluent stream including thesecond fluid phase including captured carbon dioxide transferred fromthe first fluid phase.